It may still be January, but the Niverville Nighthawks have already become the first team in the MJHL to clinch a postseason berth. A dominant road win over the Winnipeg Blues on Friday night improved Niverville to a perfect 5–0 against the Blues this season and extended the Nighthawks’ winning streak to 13 games.
Last year, the Nighthawks didn’t secure a playoff spot until their fifty-third game on March 6. Remarkably, this season they’ve done it in just 40 games.
The opening period was evenly played, with both teams generating chances but unable to break through. The Blues finally struck late in the frame when William Marceus absorbed a hit along the right-side boards, quickly recovered, and caught Niverville goaltender Ben Chornomydz off-guard with a shot that found the back of the net.
The goal gave Winnipeg a 1–0 lead with just over five minutes remaining in the first period.
It looked as though the Blues would take that lead into the dressing room, but Niverville tied the game in the final seconds of the period thanks to a determined effort from Evan Panzer. After losing an offensive-zone draw, Panzer won a puck battle behind the Blues’ net. The puck eventually worked its way back to Aaron Krestanowich, whose shot was stopped by goaltender Justin Perreault. But as Panzer was being taken down at the top of the crease, he found the rebound and slipped it past Perreault with just nine seconds remaining.
The Blues nearly reclaimed the lead just minutes into the second period as the puck bounced around the Niverville crease during two prime scoring chances. Somehow it stayed out.
Midway through the frame, the Nighthawks capitalized once again. Panzer found Calyb Moore near the goal line, and Moore redirected the puck from a sharp angle for his thirteenth goal of the season to give Niverville a 2–1 lead.
Niverville added another late in the period on a beautifully executed passing play. Marlen Edwards carried the puck into the zone and dropped it to Hayden Wheddon, who quickly fed Parker Carrier in the slot. Carrier froze the defence with a shot fake before sliding a pass back to Edwards at the top of the crease, where he redirected it past Perreault with under three minutes remaining.
The Nighthawks put the game away midway through the third with another highlight-reel passing sequence. Edwards started the rush once again, sending the puck to Merik Boles on the right wing. Boles entered the zone and delivered a perfect saucer pass across the ice to a streaking Wheddon, who sent it back across the crease to Edwards. Edwards finished the play, tucking the puck past Perreault’s outstretched glove for his second goal of the night.
Winnipeg ran into penalty trouble in the final frame, giving Niverville a pair of five-on-three opportunities. While the Nighthawks were unable to convert, they successfully burned valuable time and shut down any chance of a Blues comeback.
Niverville capped the scoring late in the third on a great individual effort from Boles, who chipped the puck past a defender at the Winnipeg blue line, drove deep into the zone, and slid a pass across to Wheddon, who recorded his third point of the night to seal the 5–1 final.
Despite the loss, Perreault delivered one of his strongest performances since being acquired from the Dauphin Kings on January 9, stopping 41 of 46 shots.
At the other end, Chornomydz continued his outstanding season, stopping 19 of 20 shots. This was his fourth consecutive start in the absence of injured starter Austin Dubinsky. The 18-year-old from Sanford turned aside key chances when called upon to improve to 13–0 on the season. He has now held opponents to two goals or fewer in 13 straight games and sits atop the MJHL goaltending statistics with a .943 save percentage and a 1.30 goals-against average.
Dubinsky returned to the Nighthawks lineup on Friday after missing the previous three games due to injury, serving as backup to Chornomydz.
With the win, the Nighthawks improved to 37–2–1 on the season and moved to 4–0 on their current seven-game road trip. Niverville is now an impressive 18–0–1 when playing away from the CRRC this year.
Edwards extended his point streak to eight games with a two-goal performance, while Wheddon pushed his streak to ten games with a three-point night (two goals, one assist). Boles and Panzer each added two points, with Boles surpassing the 50-point mark thanks to his pair of assists.
The Blues and Nighthawks will meet one final time this season on February 11 at the CRRC in Niverville. Niverville will enjoy Saturday off before heading to Dauphin on Sunday to take on the Kings.