Nipawin and Weyburn played game 5 of their first round SJHL playoff series at the Centennial Arena. Weyburn won 6-1 and has a 3-2 series lead. (Image Credit: Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Down to must win Monday

Hawks’ penalty killing falters pushing Nipawin to the brink

Mar 29, 2026 | 10:03 AM

The Hawks allowed five powerplay goals against and never gave a packed Centennial Arena crowd a chance to get into their game five first round matchup against Weyburn that the Red Wings won 6-1 Saturday.

The loss gave the Red Wings a three games to two lead over Nipawin in the best of seven Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) first round series going into Monday’s sixth game in Weyburn.

Nipawin gave up a powerplay goal in the first period, another late in the second period, and trailed 3-0 before Jac Janzen scored his fifth of the series as the teams went to the third with Weyburn up 3-1. The Red Wings added another three goals on the man advantage in the third period. Nipawin had the best penalty killing team in the regular season and held Weyburn to a pair of powerplay goals in the first four games. Head Coach Tad Kozun said that aspect of the game let them down.

“We talk about special teams and that was obviously the difference tonight,” he said on the postgame show on 750 Beach Radio. “I mean our penalty killing has been so good all year and tonight was just not good.”

The Hawks fired 22 shots on Weyburn’s net in the opening period due to a strong start but could not being Joey Roccha. The scored just once on 39 shots overall. Kozun liked the first period, but the good news ended there.

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In the first period we were all over them, we were firing on all cylinders but in the second period we took our foot off the gas and they came at us,” he admitted.

Neither team has won back-to-back games in the series, but game five was the most lopsided so far in the series featuring two teams that tied for points in the regular season. Kozun said the club needs a short memory and must do what they can to utilize a game seven back at the ‘Cage.’

“We got our butts whooped tonight; it wasn’t good enough. Biggest thing is we need to hit the reset button, and we must go down and win a hockey game. We can’t overthink this, it’s over, it’s done with, obviously it’s going to sting here until morning. Then we will get on the bus and have our focus to try and win a hockey game,” he concluded.

Monday’s sixth game will begin at 7 p.m., the pregame show on 750 Beach Radio begins at 6:45 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com