An excellent first period was the difference for the Nipawin Hawks as they picked up their second straight win, knocking off the Humboldt Broncos 5-2 in the first game of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Showcase at the Hamm Latrace Arena in Saskatoon on Sept. 24.
The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period as both Jordan Simoneau and Michael Grant found the back of the net.
The key to the first period explosion was moving their feet and jumping on the Broncos defense early, noted Doug Johnson, the head coach.
“[We] maybe caught them asleep a little bit where they weren’t quite as strong as they were in the second and third. We were fortunate enough to take advantage of that.”
The Hawks extended their lead to three goals at 12:02 of the second period as Logan Casavant scored his third goal in as many games but the Broncos refused to quit, scoring once at the end of the second and once at the beginning of the third to cut the Hawks’ lead to one.
Simoneau put an end to the Broncos momentum with his second of the game from a bad angle, and Zach Cox put the game away for good with an empty netter in the final minute to give the Hawks the 5-2 win.
A big difference maker in the game for the Hawks was their penalty kill, which finished the night 5-for-5 against the Broncos, and twice set up Hawks goals within a minute of the Broncos power play ending.
Johnson noticed a big change in the Hawks penalty kill, as they were able to pick up momentum from their first kill. The players just played looser and were not afraid to make a big check or use their stick, he says.
“They still have to play disciplined but sometimes when you’re afraid of getting on the kill you play a little differently. So I just think that the more success that we have on the kill, the more the guys can loosen up and play the way we want to.”
Jake Anthony was solid again between the pipes for the Hawks picking up his second win in as many games turning aside 28 of the 30 shots he faced.
Next up for the Hawks, will be their final showcase contest as they take on the Kindersley Klippers on Sept. 27.
Heading into the contest the Klippers have won two straight knocking off Estevan and Weyburn, and have scored 12 goals in the process, so slowing down their offense will be a big key for the Hawks.
“The best way to take away a dangerous offensive team is to play in the offensive end. We’ve just got to make sure that we get pucks and we own the pucks, we don’t give them away.”
