Senior Hawks play their best game of hockey yet
Posted on January 12, 2017 by Maple Creek
Goaltender Mike Tadjdeh prepares himself to make a save against the Shaunavon Badgers early in the second period during the Jan. 7 game. SPORTS PHOTO MEGAN ROTHMegan Roth
Twitter: @MeganMCNews
mroth@maplecreeknews.com
It was a high-energy, fast-paced game for the Senior Hawks as the team went up against the Shaunavon Badgers at home Jan. 7.
“That was the best hockey game we have seen in Maple Creek in a long time,” said team manager Len Rodin.
While the game was great and the team played their best, Rodin said the big issue was there was “no one there” to watch and cheer the team on.
“The fans that were there were very involved in the game,” said Rodin saying the spectators were loud, the cheered and sometimes jeered as the game went on.
The Hawks were first on the board in the first period. Assisted by Jason Roberts and Lane Sanderson, No. 3 for the Senior Hawks Nathyn Mortlock drove the puck home roughly six minutes into the game.
The Hawks defence was able to largely keep the visiting Badgers at bay for most of the first period.
It was also a rough first period, for the Hawks in particular.
“Two of our best defencemen were injured in the first period and were out for the game,” Rodin said.
Despite the set back in the first period, the team kept the energy up and didn’t give up, going into the final periods.
The first half of the second period was very fast paced, as the Hawks continued to match a strong rival.
Less than three minutes after a goal by the Badgers, the Senior Hawks answered back. At 15:59 Roberts and Garett Stokke fed the puck to Sanderson who tied the game up at two a piece.
The second period ended with the Badgers taking the lead with only two-and-a-half minutes left in the period.
In the third the Badgers managed to pull ahead with three successful shots on Tadjdeh.
The Senior Hawks did not stop playing in the third. Dayton Reinboldt made the last goal of the game for the Senior Hawks with assists by Cody Florkowski and Brady Bertram.
The game ended on a low note with the Hawks losing 6-3. However, the coaches and the team were happy with how the game was played.
“I am very happy with how our guys played; we never gave up. The little mistakes we made didn’t matter,” Rodin said.
Rodin was particularly pleased with how well the Senior Hawks did against a team like Shaunavon, a particularly tough team.
“They are basically almost a Junior A hockey club, and we hung with them,” Rodin said.
Following the Saturday night game, the team travelled to play yet another difficult game against the Gull Lake Greyhounds.
The Senior Hawks lost 7-3, which Rodin says “isn’t bad.”
“We have no complaints about how the players played,” said Rodin.
Reinboldt, Blake Sanderson and Kelly Leismeister all scored for the Hawks.
The team’s next game is Jan. 13 at home against the Cabri Bulldogs.
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