The Hawks celebrate Van Taylor's second career SJHL goal Saturday in Nipawin. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Special Team Troubles

Hawks drop another to the Bombers

Nov 24, 2024 | 12:27 PM

The Nipawin Hawks have lost another one to the Flin Flon Bombers, this time a 5-2 decision at the Centennial Arena on Saturday night.

The result capped a Flin Flon sweep of their home and home series that began with a 5-1 Bombers win Friday at the Whitney Forum. The Hawks have now lost 15 straight to their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) division rivals dating back to early 2022. Head Coach Tad Kozun said special teams cost the Hawks this weekend despite killing 13 of 16 penalties against the Bombers over six periods.

“Tonight, they get two powerplay goals and we have our chances on the powerplay, we generate a few chances but not enough. Not the response we needed after Friday’s effort,” Kozun said after the game.

After Flin Flon opened a 2-0 lead, Van Taylor buried a rebound for his second career goal, but Flin Flon answered with their second powerplay goal of the game expanding the lead back to two that the Hawks couldn’t overcome.

Finley Radloff added his fifth goal of the season in the third period.

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The Hawks had a positive weekend earlier in November taking three of four points in Melfort and Humboldt, however, Kozun urged his club not to take a step backwards this weekend, as he feels they did.

“I just thought we got away from being tough to play against and we gave up the middle of the ice too easily. We expected our goalies to make really big saves. We did such a good job protecting the middle of the ice and kept them to the outside. I thought we did that at times this weekend, but just not a complete effort and not enough to win a hockey game,” he said.

Gage Roberts made 51 stops in the net for the Hawks, and Matthew Kieper stopped 28 in the victory.

Overall the Hawks failed to score on four powerplays, Flin Flon got two powerplay goals from captain Cole Tanchuk in seven opportunities.

Nipawin will host North Battleford on Tuesday, a makeup date for Nov. 19’s postponement after Saskatchewan’s first blast of snow.

Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.