*Photo Credit Richard Peterson Photography
The Nipawin Hawks welcomed the La Ronge Ice Wolves to the Cage on Friday night for the first game of a home-and-home weekend and delivered a strong performance on home ice.
The opening period saw one lone goal, coming from assistant captain #16 Mason Karakochuk (13), assisted by #28 Sean Shiels (9) and assistant captain #7 Eric Hoiness. The Hawks carried that momentum into the second frame, adding three more goals to extend their lead.
#29 Tiernan Ryan (5) opened the scoring in the second with help from #24 Justus Cutler (4) and #18 Jack Janzen (16). Assistant captain #16 Mason Karakochuk (14) followed with his second of the night, assisted by assistant captain #7 Eric Hoiness (29). Assistant captain #7 Eric Hoiness (15) then added a power-play marker, with assists going to assistant captain #16 Mason Karakochuk (21) and #28 Sean Shiels (10).
There were no goals in the third period, securing a 4–0 victory for Nipawin. The line of Karakochuk, Hoiness, and Shiels proved difficult to contain throughout the night, while #1 Gage Roberts was solid in net, earning his second shutout performance of the week. Shots on goal favoured Nipawin 40–26.
The Hawks then travelled to La Ronge on Saturday for the second meeting of the weekend and once again came out on top, this time with a 5–4 final.
Nipawin opened the scoring in the first period with a goal from #18 Jack Janzen (11), assisted by #29 Tiernan Ryan (5) and #17 Brendan Olson (15). La Ronge responded with two goals in the frame from Perozni and Berezniuk to take the lead.
The Ice Wolves extended their advantage early in the second period with a goal from Inglis, but Nipawin quickly responded. #28 Sean Shiels (7) tied the game, assisted by #2 Noah Heinrichs (9) and assistant captain #7 Eric Hoiness (30). Hometown captain #11 Finley Radloff (13) then gave the Hawks the lead, with assists from #10 Will Whitter (21) and #14 Mason Lowther (10).
#28 Sean Shiels (8) added another on the power play, assisted by #21 Ashton Tait (22) and assistant captain #16 Mason Karakochuk (22), to extend the Hawks’ lead heading into the third.
In the final frame, both teams found the back of the net once. Nipawin’s goal came from #18 Jack Janzen (12), assisted by #29 Tiernan Ryan (6) and #17 Brendan Olson (16), while La Ronge answered with a marker from Gardipy. Shots on goal slightly favoured La Ronge 33–32.
The weekend sweep marks the seventh meeting between the Nipawin Hawks and the La Ronge Ice Wolves this season, with Nipawin coming out victorious in every matchup.
The Hawks return to home ice on February 10 as they welcome the Battlefords North Stars to the Cage for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.
