The Nipawin Hawks were in La Ronge Friday for SJHL action. (Clark Stork/northeastNOW Staff)

By Clark Stork

Hawks Hockey

Losing streak reaches five for Hawks

Jan 27, 2024 | 1:33 PM

The Nipawin Hawks gave up two late third period goals in La Ronge that extended the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) team’s losing skid to five games with a 3-2 loss to the Ice Wolves on Friday.

Coming off a 4-3 shootout loss to La Ronge on Jan. 20, the Hawks were looking to assist in their playoff positioning and bust out from a slide that started on Jan. 12 in Flin Flon.

The Hawks took a one-goal lead late in the first period courtesy of Tre Fouquette, the former Ice Wolf now has his first goal of the SJHL season. La Ronge tied the score 1-1 early in the second period, but rookie forward Eric Hoiness restored Nipawin’s lead with his ninth goal of the campaign.

With starting netminder Damon Cunningham on the bench due to an injury, 16-year-old Corben Schnurr was called upon to enter the net late in the first. On the verge of winning his SJHL regular season debut, the Hawks gave up a pair of goals in the final two and a half minutes to suffer the loss, their 20^th of the year. Nipawin had 22 shots in the second period but couldn’t generate the insurance goal which cost them the game according to Head Coach Tad Kozun.

“We need everybody to bring more right now, that’s what it comes down to,” he said on the postgame show. “We had our opportunities on the power-play, we didn’t score and that’s the difference in the game again.”

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The Hawks failed to score on four man advantages and only got two pucks past Topher Chirico on 42 shots. La Ronge had just 27 shots on net, Schnurr was credited with 16 saves, Cunningham stopped all eight shots he faced before leaving in the first frame.

Nipawin is now tied for seventh in the SJHL standings, the club is just 2-5-1-2 in their last 10 games. Kozun said the team has found different ways to not collect two points over a longer stretch that dates back to December of last year.

“We’re kind of shooting ourselves in the foot right now and not bearing down on our chances. We have to stop on pucks, we’ve got to get that level up. You have got to want to score goals, there is too much circling right now and not enough stops and starts,” he lamented.

Nipawin has 16 games left and is in full control of their own destiny when it comes to being one of the top eight clubs to play in the postseason. The team is now off until Feb. 2 when they travel to Flin Flon to face the Bombers. Nipawin has lost nine in a row to the league’s top-ranked club. Melfort visits the Centennial Arena on Feb. 3. Kozun said the team will work hard this week and seek better results in a weeks’ time.

“We’re not going to run from it, we know we are fighting for our playoff lives,” Kozun questioned. “What are you going to do to make sure you we’re in that dance? What are you going to do to make sure we get there?”

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clark.stork@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @ClarkStork