The Nipawin Hawks and Flin Flon Bombers renewed their rivalry Friday on opening night of the 2023/24 SJHL season. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

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Bombers’ offense to explosive in Hawks season opener

Sep 23, 2023 | 9:23 AM

The Nipawin Hawks dropped a 5-3 decision to the Flin Flon Bombers last night in their Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) season opener.

With a large crowd welcoming both the clubs to the 2023/24 SJHL regular season, each team failed to score in the first period, but both teams’ offences started to click in the second.

Tyler Stenglein opened the scoring for the visitors in the middle frame, but Nipawin responded with a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead thanks to Hudson Cameron and captain Maguire Ratzlaff.

The lead was short-lived, Stenglein added his second career goal tying the game just 13 seconds after Nipawin moved ahead.

The Bombers added two more in just 1:56 jumping out to a 4-2 lead.

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The Hawks clawed back to 4-3 in the third period courtesy Evan Forrest, but Matt Egan restored Flin Flon’s two goal lead 1:34 later sealing the win. Nipawin Assistant Coach Levi Stuart said some nerves could have played a part in the loss, but he knows it wasn’t the night the team expected.

“No, definitely not, obviously we were expecting more,” he told northeastNOW after the game. “Definitely some rookie nerves out there, a lot of guys playing their first junior games. You can tell there is a bit of a grace period and that’s the same for anybody.”

Damon Cunningham was spectacular making 44 saves in the loss, Harmon Laser-Hume won making 17 stops, overall, the Bombers fired 49 shots on Nipawin’s second year netminder, Laser-Hume only saw 20 pucks directed on the Flin Flon net. Stuart was quick to praise Cunningham’s first star performance despite the loss.

“He made some huge saves and bailed us out. We were missing assignments a lot tonight, way more than we can be if we want to be successful. Obviously, Damon did a great job of bailing us out,” he said.

Nipawin killed all seven penalties they were forced too, the Hawks had one power play that the team couldn’t capitalize on.

The Hawks are in La Ronge Saturday to take on the Ice Wolves. Last year Nipawin beat Flin Flon at home on opening weekend while losing at the Mel Hegland Uniplex, Stuart said the club can rebound on the road and be satisfied with a split on the first weekend of the season.

“That’s the goal, it’s right back to work tomorrow,” he added. “That’s the best part, after a loss like tonight we get to go do it again and make up for it and play the way we know we can, and will.”

Faceoff is 7:30 p.m., the game will be broadcasted on 750 Beach Radio beginning with the pregame show at 7:15.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @ClarkStork