The La Ronge Ice Wolves started their weekend on Friday at home with a 5-3 loss to the Nipawin Hawks.
“I keep on talking about the 60 minutes, we played 40 tonight, that was it,” said Ice Wolves Head Coach and GM Kevin Kaminski. “We’ve got to learn quick, but the second and third period, I loved the compete level. I loved the work ethic.”
Nipawin’s Brodie Girod, Austen Flaman and Max Johnson all scored in the first frame, as the Hawks built up a 3-1 lead through 20 minutes. Daylon Mannon scored in the first for La Ronge and he would also tally in the second stanza. Mannon now has seven points in his last two games.
Jordan Simoneau and Josh Lester provided the offence in the second period for the Hawks.
La Ronge’s Kalem Hanlon scored his first SJHL goal on the power play 17:18 into the third when he ripped it home from the right circle, which made it a 5-3 game.
Liam McGarva, who was just added to La Ronge’s roster, made the start for the Ice Wolves. He finished with 33 saves.
Meantime, the line of Zach Bannister, Jake Gudjonson and Jordan Mish created several great scoring chances for the Ice Wolves, but they were not rewarded for their efforts.
“I thought our first line – Bannister, Goody and Mish played a good game too,” said Ice Wolves Head Coach and GM Kevin Kaminski. “They had probably four of five point-blank shots. They are snake bitten, they can’t find the net right now. They just have to keep their nose to the grindstone and as soon as they get one, the floodgates are going to open for them.”
With the loss, the Ice Wolves slipped to 0-4 on the season. They will look to rebound on Saturday from Nipawin when they meet the Hawks for the second straight night in the conclusion of the home-and-home series.
You can catch Saturday’s game on MBC Network Radio with Braden Malsbury, the pre-game show begins at 7:15 p.m.
(PHOTO: The Ice Wolves met the Hawks for the first time this season Friday. Photo by Braden Malsbury.)