The Hawks celebrate a second straight shutout by Gage Roberts Friday as Nipawin won 4-0 in SJHL regular season action. (Image Credit: Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Flying high

Hawks soar into La Ronge on a roll

Feb 7, 2026 | 12:21 AM

The Hawks will coast into La Ronge riding back-to-back shutouts this week including a 4-0 Nipawin win over the Ice Wolves Friday.

The win at the Centennial Arena kept Nipawin on pace with the rest of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s (SJHL’s) top teams also winning. The Hawks are currently tied for fourth with Weyburn, who Nipawin blanked on Wednesday on home ice. Head Coach Tad Kozun said Gage Roberts was spectacular in net and the team was excellent in front of him all week.

“Robby [Roberts] proved Wednesday he is if not the best goalie in our league, he’s right there. Miraculous stops when they had us running around, but he managed to battle and keep it out. We got a lead, built some insurance on the powerplay, and earned the win of the year for this group so far,” Kozun said.

Roberts didn’t have to be as good in Friday’s shutout, his fourth of the SJHL season, tied on top of the league with Flon Flon’s Charlie Tritt. Wednesday, he made 39 saves, on Friday the 19-year-old Fort McMurray, Alta. product turned aside 26 La Ronge chances.

Leading the way offensively in the wins was Mason Karakochuk, Eric Hoiness, and Sean Shiels. Including a 4-3 loss in Yorkton on Feb. 1, the trio has combined for 22 points. Karakochuk has scored five goals in the last three games, Hoiness has climbed into the top 10 in scoring in the league during the stretch as well. Kozun said his team can’t overlook the Ice Wolves going into Saturday.

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“We just played them tonight, and they gave us a good test on home ice,” Kozun said. “They had us down in shots for a good portion of the game and Gage kept us up one until we got rolling late in the second. Once we got those three and that line turned it on, we could sit back a little in the third and take the points, but La Ronge won’t quit, and we expect a tough test on the road.”

Faceoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on 750 Beach Radio starting with the pregame show at 7:15 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com