The Hawks and Klippers faced off in Kindersley on Saturday night. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Sluggish Start

Hawks drop third straight

Dec 15, 2025 | 12:05 PM

The Hawks have had some ebbs and flows in the first half of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season, currently a third loss in row has Nipawin seeking answers following Saturday’s 2-1 loss in Kindersley.

Prior to the last three contests, the Hawks were soaring including a six-game winning streak and eyes on first place in the league. Going into Sunday’s matinee against the Klippers, which will mark the halfway point of the year, the Hawks could go home in fifth place. Following Saturday’s uninspired effort, Head Coach Tad Kozun was inspired by the third period performance from his players, but overall, the Hawks weren’t good enough.

“The first two periods tonight we just didn’t have it tonight at all,” he said on the postgame show on 750 Beach Radio. “We were third to pucks, they were the first two to pucks. We get the puck on the halfway, we don’t take a look and just throw it away instead of making a play with it or anything like that, I just didn’t think our heads were in it.”

For the third straight game, the Hawks scored first and led after the first period. Nipawin has lost all those games after being undefeated in 13 contests when scoring the games’ first goal. The Hawks have also led after the first in the trio of games too, unable to hold the lead. Kozun said playing a full game is the key to holding a lead.

“The biggest thing with that is we didn’t have it, but we get the lead then they go down and get two on you and it’s an uphill battle, especially when most of our team didn’t have it tonight. You must find a way though, this is junior hockey,” Kozun added.

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Jack Janzen scored the Hawks lone goal. He has six on the season and has scored in back-to-back games. Gage Roberts kept Nipawin in the game with 30 saves.

Nipawin faced off against the Klippers again at Inter Pipeline Arena starting at 4 p.m. Kozun said the weekend can be salvaged with a victory in the second matchup.

“We have to build on that third period,” he said. “I liked the third, thought we generated a lot of chances, didn’t give up many chances, but you have to find the equalizer. We have to build on that third and be ready to go for 60-minutes.”