The Hawks will face the Red Wings in the first round of the SHL playoffs beginning Friday in Nipawin. (Image Credit: Submitted photo/Richard Petersen)

By Clark Stork

Chasing a championship

Hawks return to postseason; meet Weyburn in round one

Mar 20, 2026 | 1:54 PM

For the first time in three seasons the Nipawin Hawks will host a Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) playoff game.

Nipawin finished the regular season in fourth place and have home ice advantage in the best of seven series against the Weyburn Red Wings. Hawks’ captain Finley Radloff is the only player on the roster with any postseason experience in the SJHL, having played in five games versus Humboldt as a 17-year-old. Now a 20-year-old, in his final year with his hometown team, Radloff said he’s ecstatic to be back in the playoffs.

“The boys are really excited for the game tonight and this whole series,” Radloff said.

Nipawin and Weyburn met four times this season with the Red Wings taking three of the four games. Radloff said the Hawks’ focus is on their own game heading into the best-of-seven showdown.

“The biggest thing is stick to our own game; we don’t need to change anything. We need to play for a full 60 minutes, do things the right way, look after ourselves and I don’t think we will have any issues. I think we are ready for this,” Radloff added.

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The Hawks are the top-ranked penalty-killing team this year at over 86 per cent efficiency. The Red Wings have the third-ranked powerplay, although in the season series Weyburn did not register a powerplay goal against the Hawks. Radloff said special teams will be a factor in the series.

“They have a good power play, we have the best penalty killing. Our power play hasn’t been good in the past as we wanted it to be, we’ve worked on it. It looks good now, but yes special teams will play a part in this series.”

Faceoff for Game 1 in Nipawin at the Centennial Arena begins at 7 p.m. tonight before the series shifts to Weyburn on Tuesday and Wednesday. All games can be heard on 750 Beach Radio starting at 6:45 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com