Damon Cunningham made 29 saves in a 4-3 Hawks' win over Melfort in SJHL action Saturday at the Centennial Arena. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

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Comeback kids, Hawks stun Mustangs with late surge

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The Hawks scored twice in the final eight minutes Saturday and then again in overtime to edge Melfort 4-3 in Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) action in Nipawin.

Facing their archrivals for the first time during the 2023/24 season, during parent/billet weekend Nipawin scored the games first goal, late in the first period courtesy Braxton Buckberger. The Hawks led 1-0 after the first with the shorthanded goal.

The Mustangs bucked back in the middle period however scoring three times, leading to a 3-1 lead at the Centennial Arena. The two-goal margin was intact until the 12-minute mark of the third period. Eric Hoiness scored his sixth goal of the year on a power play with just under eight minutes to pay, Evan Forrest tied the game with just under four minutes in regulation forcing overtime. Buckberger ended the game with his second of the night early in the fourth period. The 20-year-old Saskatoon product said the team never gave up.

“It’s that never give up mindset,” he said. “We have confidence in every line we put out there. We just started getting pucks to the net, bodies to the net. The next thing you know it’s a tie game and we’re going to overtime.”

The win salvaged the weekend for Nipawin after a loss Friday to Yorkton on home ice. For Buckberger, now third in SJHL scoring said breaking through with two goals and an assist was big for him, but the victory was also crucial.

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“I have been struggling to find the net lately, but it’s good to get on the scoresheet and it’s even better to get the win against our rivals,” he said.

Damon Cunningham secured the win for Nipawin in net stopping 28 Melfort shots, Nipawin beat James Venne four times on 25 shots.

Nipawin was awarded two power plays scoring once, the Mustangs had one power-play goal during a five-minute major call, and Melfort had four man advantages in the game.

The win pushed the Hawks closer to evening their record and climbed into seventh in the SJHL standings. Buckberger said not sweeping the week was disappointing, but they will look to build on the win this week.

“It would have definitely been nice to get the third one against Yorkton. We didn’t play our greatest game. We just must look forward now to the Showcase and get two big wins there,” he said.

The Hawks face Notre Dame on Nov. 15 and Yorkton on Nov. 16 in Warman at the Legends Centre.

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

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