The Nipawin Hawks are turning home ice into a scoring showcase, and opposing goaltenders are feeling the pressure.
Nipawin put up eight goals against Kindersley last Wednesday before following it up with an 11-2 demolition of La Ronge two days later. That’s 19 goals in two home games, including six in the third period against the Ice Wolves.
The Hawks have plenty of firepower throughout their lineup. Brock Evans leads the SJHL with 22 points, including 18 assists, while Mason Karakochuk leads the league with 15 goals and has 20 points.
Nipawin has scored 63 goals in 12 games.
Bear awakening for Estevan Bruins
After five straight losses, the Estevan Bruins have found their footing with consecutive victories over Melfort and Humboldt.
Estevan opened the weekend with a overtime win over the Mustangs on Friday, with Steven Steranka scoring twice, including the winner just 10 seconds into overtime. The Bruins then followed it up with a 6-2 victory over Humboldt on Saturday.
Steranka continued his torrid stretch with a goal and four assists against the Broncos, giving him 10 points over his last three games. Drew Beasley has also been a key contributor, recording two goals and an assist Saturday to extend his point streak to five games, with 10 points over that span.
The Bruins still have ground to make up in the Bunge Division, but this is the kind of weekend that can change a team’s confidence. The next challenge is proving these wins are the start of a turnaround rather than a brief spark.
Quietly getting the job done
While some SJHL teams are making headlines with their offence, Melville’s Noah Kraus and Melfort’s Luke McKechnie are making their mark between the pipes.
Through Saturday, Kraus had a 7-2 record, a 1.89 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage for the Millionaires. He was outstanding Friday night, stopping all 31 shots in a 1-0 win over Battlefords to earn his first shutout of the season.
McKechnie has been just as steady for the Mustangs, posting a 6-2 record, a league-best 1.60 goals-against average among qualifying goaltenders, and a .937 save percentage. He made 22 saves Saturday in Melfort’s 3-2 win over Weyburn, extending his run to four consecutive starts allowing two goals or fewer, all victories.
Struggles Continue for Battlefords and La Ronge
The losing keeps piling up for the Battlefords North Stars and La Ronge Ice Wolves, and both clubs have some important issues to address as the SJHL season rolls on.
Battlefords has dropped eight straight after Saturday’s loss to Yorkton, leaving the North Stars with just two wins through their first 10 games. The offence has managed only 22 goals in that stretch, while.special teams have been a major concern: Battlefords had converted just three chances at just over six percent efficiency.
La Ronge has had an equally difficult start. The Ice Wolves entered Saturday at 2-8, having allowed 56 goals in their first 11 games.
Battlefords needs its offence to find another gear and its power play to become a threat, while La Ronge must protect leads and tighten up defensively. With the season still young, there is time to climb back into the picture, but the urgency is growing with every loss.
