It wasn’t picturesque but the Hawks picked up their first regular season win in Estevan since 2017 after a 2-1 shootout win over the Bruins on Saturday.
Nipawin does have the game six win in the 2018 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) finals but a regular season triumph has been hard to come by. Kristian Stead shut out the Bruins 5-0 on Jan. 25, 2017, Nipawin had lost eight straight until Saturday’s win.
The Hawks trailed 1-0 when Estevan scored early in the second period, but 20-year-old veteran Joel Mabin was awarded a penalty shot with three minutes left. The Lethbridge, Alta. product beat Jackson Miller to force overtime and former Bruin Evan Forrest called game as the sixth shooter and only goal scorer for both teams.
Damon Cunningham was brilliant again stopping 41 shots through 65 minutes and all three Bruins in the shootout.
Nipawin concludes their three game road trip Sunday afternoon in Notre Dame against the Hounds. Puck drop is 4:30 p.m., the pregame show on 750 Beach Radio begins at 4:15 p.m.
You can hear from Forrest after the win as he recounts a night he won’t soon forget against his former team.