NIPAWIN—Consider it a missed opportunity.
After winning both games in Nipawin, the Hawks went out on the road and suffered a 2-1 loss to the Humboldt Broncos in Game three of the semifinals.
The Hawks’ April 3 loss cuts their series lead against the Broncos to 2-1 and snapped a streak of 14 straight wins against the green and gold.
“[We] didn’t have a great start and then got into some penalty trouble and couldn’t bury our chances. We thought we were all over them 5-on-5, but we’ve just got to be smarter and be more disciplined,” said Carter Doerksen, the Hawks' captain .
Logan Boulet of the Broncos scored the game winner at 15:18 of the second period and Conner Lukan added the other for the Broncos, while Jacob Wassermann turned aside 29 shots for this first career playoff win on home ice, in his first start.
Christian Bosa responded with the lone goal for the visitors, while Declan Hobbs allowed two goals on 34 shots for just his second loss of the playoffs.
After back-to-back sluggish starts in Nipawin, the Broncos came out flying at home and put the visitors on the back foot early.
Despite not finding the back of the net, the Broncos dominated the first period, leading the shots 10-1, 16:00 into the period.
By the time the first period drew to a close, neither team found the back of the net and the Broncos led on the shot clock 13-5.
After a poor start, the Hawks found their legs in the early part of the second, and they quickly turned their eight shot deficit into a four shot lead.
Christian Bosa got the Hawks on the board at 6:59 of the middle session, redirecting a Daven Smith point shot by Wassermann for his first career SJHL playoff goal, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
That goal seemed to have a negative effect on the visiting side, as they began to lose their composure, taking a myriad of dumb penalties, which resulted in the Broncos having a two-minute 5-on-3.
Lukan quickly capitalized on the power play, pulling the Broncos back into a tie with the Hawks, just 1:05 into the power play.
With the Broncos looking to take their first lead, it was their turn to lose focus, as Jaxon Joseph was slapped with a four-minute double minor for spearing, bringing the Broncos’ power play to an end.
Moments later, Brayden Camrud was charged with tripping and just like that, the Broncos found themselves staring at their own two-minute 3-on-5 situation.
That kill served as a defining moment in the contest, as the Broncos managed to kill off the penalties, and returned to even strength tied at one.
“It’s a missed opportunity. It would have been a difference maker for sure but you can’t blame that on the game. we had our chances and we just didn’t bury them,” Doerksen said about the missed power play.
The parade to the penalty box continued in the middle stanza as Thomas Lenchyshyn was sent to the sin bin at 15:03 for checking to the head.
Looking back on the second period, Doerksen admits his club lost their focus, something they can ill afford to have happen.
“They’ve got a good power play, [I'll] give them that. They’re a skilled team so we’ve just got to keep our emotions in check. Emotions are going to run high. It’s playoffs, it’s big hockey, so keep our emotions in check and neutralize that.”
Much like on their last power play, the Broncos wasted little time making the Hawks pay as Boulet slid into the slot and fired a shot by Hobbs for his first career SJHL playoff goal.
The Broncos clung to the lead heading into the third.
Despite trailing, the Hawks could not muster up a whole pile of offense, being turned aside on a couple grade A opportunities but were outshot 11-7 in the final period and lost 2-1.
For the first time in the series, the Hawks’ special teams let the black and gold down as they failed to score on any of their three chances, while allowing the Broncos to score on 2-of-4 opportunities.
The Hawks will look to regain their two-game edge, with Game 4 coming in Humboldt on April 4.
Hard work will be key if the Hawks want to go home up 3-0, said Doerksen.
“We’ve got to dictate the game, be physical, neutralize their speed. They’re a quick, skilled team. Bang them and definitely be disciplined. That’s going to be the key to beating these guys is not letting them get those power play goals.”
