It was a special night inside the CRRC on Saturday—not just because Valentine’s Day brought love into the air, but because special teams stole the spotlight.
The Niverville Nighthawks and Neepawa Titans met for the fourth and final time this season, with Niverville aiming to complete a series sweep. Instead a costly stretch of second-period penalties shifted momentum, and Neepawa capitalized with three power-play goals en route to a 5–4 victory.
Despite a late push, the Nighthawks came up just short, marking their fourth loss in the last five games.
The Nighthawks chose to dress seven defencemen for the game, and they were down to five before the game was half done.
The opening frame featured plenty of physical play, but no scoring. However, emotions boiled over in the dying seconds when Nighthawks forward Aaron Krestanowich and Titans Talen Lewis dropped the gloves in a spirited tilt. Both players were handed game misconducts.
The second period began with end-to-end action. Neepawa rang a shot off the post early before the puck quickly transitioned the other way. Hayden Wheddon found Jake Demone driving the net, but Titans goaltender Zach Burleigh came up with a beautiful right-pad save.
Moments later, Dawson Zeller forced a turnover in the offensive zone, and the puck found Evan Panzer in the slot. Panzer blasted a slapshot past Burleigh for his 18th goal of the season, giving Niverville a 1–0 lead.
That momentum was short-lived.
Just over a minute later, Jaden Mah threw a heavy hit near the boards on Cooper Kasprick, who crashed awkwardly into the wall and remained down for several moments before being taken to the dressing room. Mah was given a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Just like that, the Nighthawks were down two defencemen.
The Titans quickly capitalized on the extended power play to follow.
Keenan Skrupa tied the game on a tap-in after a perfect cross-crease feed from Kyle Weisgarber.
Less than a minute later, Jacob Faith snapped home a shot from the top of the left circle to give Neepawa the lead.
The Titans struck once again on a power play when Owen Durigan’s point shot, which was stopped by Dubinsky, saw the rebound fall to Logan Paquette at the top of the crease who slid it under Dubinsky to make it 3–1.
With just 19 seconds remaining in the period, Skrupa added his second of the night, cashing in on a rebound after another setup from Weisgarber. Neepawa carried a commanding 4–1 lead into the third.
Neepawa looked to put the game out of reach when they added to their total seven minutes into the final frame. After a Niverville turnover at the blue line, Jack Clark carried the puck down the right side and snapped a shot past Ben Chornomydz, who had replaced Austin Dubinsky to start the third, to make it 5–1.
Just before the midway mark, though, Wheddon sparked life into the building. After Jase Konecsni’s shot missed the net, Wheddon banked the puck in from behind the goal line off Burleigh for his twenty-eighth of the season, cutting the deficit to 5–2.
With 2:19 remaining, Max Dowse, playing his first game back from injury, ripped a blocker-side shot from the right circle for his first goal of the season, making it 5–3.
Only 32 seconds later, Merik Boles blasted home a Wheddon feed to pull Niverville within one with his twenty-first of the season, igniting the close to 700 fans in attendance who sensed the comeback.
The comeback bid nearly gained another opportunity when Weisgarber was assessed a cross-checking penalty with 39 seconds left, giving the Nighthawks a late power play.
However, they couldn’t find the equalizer before time expired.
In a game filled with physical play and momentum swings, special teams proved decisive. The Titans’ three power-play goals in the second period were the difference.
The Nighthawks will now look to regroup as they aim to snap out of their recent slide and regain momentum when they welcome the Selkirk Steelers to the CRRC this coming Monday afternoon. Note the early start, with puck drop set for 3:00 p.m.
See below for the game’s highlight reel.