The Nipawin Hawks will soon be hitting the Whitney Forum in Flin Flon to take on the Bombers. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW)

By Clark Stork

Hawks back in action

Hawks bus bound to battle Bombers

Sep 28, 2021 | 4:34 PM

The Nipawin Hawks will put their 2-0 record on the line tonight in Flin Flon against the Bombers.

Coming off a home-and-home sweep of the La Ronge Ice Wolves on the weekend, Nipawin hopes to build on the early season success. Head coach and general manager Doug Johnson said he likes the growth he’s already seeing among his team despite just playing two games.

“I like that at times we weren’t playing our best, but we improved, we got better. Those are really the big positives right now,” he said ahead of the contest at the Whitney Forum that begins at 6:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time.

The Hawks put up ten goals in the two contests with the Wolves. Coming into the season, Johnson was a tad worried about where goals would come from but with four of those being off the stick of defensemen the concerns are lifting.

“We’re going to have to get offense from our back end, we’re going to have to do things different,” Johnson added. “That is very nice to see. If our players keep developing, if we keep playing like that, if we can get our shots through, get our defense activated, that’s certainly going to help.”

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Among the early season highlights, besides Evan Bortis’ two goals and four points, is the play of rookie forward Phil Laberge.

The Blainville, Que. product leads the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in points after the opening weekend with a goal and six assists. Johnson said his start among others such as Brody Wilson, Carson Dobson, Rylan Lefebvre, and Alex Johnson is very promising.

“When the puck is on Phil’s tape good things happen. I don’t think we envisioned him to be leading the league after the opening weekend but we’re happy he is. He’s got some confidence and hopefully that keeps building. These guys are going to be leaned on heavily this season,” Johnson said.

The pregame show of Rona Nipawin Hawks Hockey begins at 6:15 p.m. on Saskatchewan’s New Beach Radio.