The Nipawin Hawks and Melfort Mustangs battle for a faceoff win Friday in SJHL action at the Northern Lights Palace. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Rivalry renewed

Hawks grounded in Melfort

Dec 18, 2021 | 12:27 AM

The Nipawin Hawks were ousted 6-1 Friday night in Melfort to the Mustangs, as the two Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) rivals renewed acquaintances at the Northern Lights Palace.

Meeting for the first time since the opening weekend of October, the teams opened their third game of the season against each other with several skirmishes but no goals in the first period.

The Mustangs changed the tone in the middle period scoring three times and outshooting Nipawin 21-7 in the process. Marco Lopez scored twice, Carter Anderson had the other second-period Mustang goal. Hawks head coach Tad Kozun said the team played a solid road period to start the game.

“We had a pretty good first period, we had some chances that we didn’t bury. They had chances but I thought we did a good job keeping them to the outside,” Kozun said on the postgame show of Nipawin Rona Hawks hockey. “Then the second period comes, they turn the dial up, we didn’t. We get behind the eight-ball and it snowed balled from there.”

Trying to come back from a second-period deficit just like the club did on Tuesday proved to be too tough against a Mustangs team chasing their sixth straight win. Mkyllan Couture drew the Hawks within two early in the third period with his third goal of the season, but that’s as close as Nipawin would come.

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“We got into penalty trouble and that’s something we talked about coming into the game, we need good discipline, or they will hurt you,” he said.

Melfort finished with two powerplay goals in seven opportunities. Lopez added his hat trick goal in the third, Seth McCulloch and Kevin Minnock also scored for the Mustangs who stay tied with the Battlefords for third place in the SJHL standings.

Nipawin slipped back out of the playoffs going into Saturday’s rematch to wrap the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule. Kozun said the Hawks can still salvage the weekend and the week allowing the club to feel good about themselves going into the holidays.

“These games are going to happen; I really like how we’ve come along from everything that’s happened. We put together three good games, but these ones are going to happen,” Kozun added.

Harmon Laser-Hume was solid in the Hawks’ net despite giving up six goals, the 18-year-old turned aside 36 shots in the loss, many stops were highlight reel caliber. Melfort netminder James Venne was not nearly as busy, he turned aside 20 Nipawin shots.

Saturday’s game at the Centennial Arena begins at 7:30 p.m., the game will be broadcast on CJVR beginning at 7:15 p.m.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork