The Nipawin Hawks could not have asked for a much better start to the playoffs.
The Hawks opened up an early lead in game one of their opening round series and cruised to an easy 5-1 win over the Flin Flon Bombers in action from Nipawin on March 16.
The home side scored twice in each of the first two periods, and led 5-0 early in the third.
Brandan Arnold led the way offensively for the Broncos scoring once, and setting up three others, while Logan Casavant picked up two assists.
Austin Mikesch, Kenzie Arnold, Tyler Adams and Grant Baetsen all chipped in with a goal for the Hawks.
Nate Hooper responded with the lone Bombers goal.
The Arnold brothers skated the Hawks out to an early lead as Kenzie scored his first career SJHL playoff goal, and brother Brandan added his fifth career goal 1:30 later giving the Hawks a 2-0 lead after the first period.
Adams and Mikesch added second period markers to extend the Hawks’s lead to 4-0.
Baetsen pushed the Hawks’ lead to five with his first of the playoffs, on the power play.
Hooper ruined Declan Hobbs’ shut out bid with a power play goal of his own at 8:31 of the third.
That goal was as close as the Bombers would come as Hobbs shut the door the rest of the way giving the Hawks a 5-1 win and a 1-0 series lead.
Hobbs was solid in the Hawks goal, turning aside 31 of the 32 shots he faced as the Bombers outshot the Hawks 32-31.
While the final score was lopsided, the special teams ended even as both teams converted on 1-of-6 power play opportunities.
