The Hawks and Mustangs faced off Saturday in Melfort closing the 2024 calendar year of the SJHL schedule. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Special Team Troubles

Hawks grounded 5-1 in Melfort as Christmas break hits

Dec 23, 2024 | 10:33 AM

The Nipawin Hawks will go into the Christmas break on a four game losing streak after a 5-1 loss in Melfort Saturday.

The Mustangs scored six powerplay goals on route to a weekend home-and-home sweep of Nipawin after a 3-2 Melfort victory Friday at the Centennial Arena. After Saturday’s defeat Nipawin Head Coach Tad Kozun said his team was the same one that pushed the reigning champs to the final minute at home 24 hours earlier.

“We were a completely different team tonight,” he said on the postgame show of Nipawin Chrysler Dodge Hawks Hockey on Beach Radio. “Our compete level, our battle levels, just weren’t there tonight. I am not really happy with the performance tonight.”

Melfort opened the scoring in the first period and scored the eventual game winning goal early in the second period on a powerplay. The Hawks cut the lead in half on Conor Ryan’s fifth goal of the season, but a following five-on-three Nipawin powerplay generated no offense and the Mustangs scored shortly after killing the two man deficit taking any potential comeback away from the Hawks. Kozun said the missed opportunity was the turning point.

“We had no urgency on that powerplay, guys standing around, not moving pucks, that was the game for sure,” he said.

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Overall Nipawin didn’t score on six powerplays Saturday or another five on Friday night, meanwhile the Mustangs scored on 66 percent of their man advantages over six periods.

“We talk about special teams a lot, and recently our penalty killing has been trending up but this weekend special teams destroyed us,” Kozun added.

Gage Roberts suffered the loss in Nipawin’s net making 28 saves.

Nipawin will enter the Christmas break with a record of 7-20-2-2.

The Hawks return to action Saturday, Jan. 4 in North Battleford against the North Stars. Nipawin hosts the Battlefords on Jan. 5 at 3 p.m.

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