The Niverville Nighthawks earned another big road victory on Saturday night as they defeated the Swan Valley Stampeders by a 4–1 score. With the win, the Nighthawks remain in fifth place in the MJHL’s East Division with a record of 16–9–1.
Swan Valley opened the scoring late in the first period, but the Nighthawks were not dismayed.
In fact, they came out firing in the second frame. Avery Laliberte scored twice in nine minutes. Ty Kennett also scored for Niverville, putting the club up 3–1.
In the final period, the Nighthawks finished strong. Dawson Zeller added an insurance goal.
Niverville’s latest addition to the roster, goalie Connor Graham, was excellent in his team debut, stopping 22 shots in the win.
A day earlier, on November 29, the Nighthawks traded defenceman Brock Assailly in order to acquire Graham, forward Reid McIntyre, as well as future considerations from the Winnipeg Blues.
“It was a successful road trip up north,” says Nighthawks head coach Dwight Hirst. “It’s tough at times to play back-to-back nights. And when the decisions are coming slow, it’s a sign of mental fatigue. So it was a matter of shaking the fog out of our heads and getting things rolling with our physical attributes.”
The Nighthawks are back in action with another road game on December 3 against the Selkirk Steelers. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
“We can’t be caught up in the comparable games, as everyone is good in this league,” says Hirst. “We have to stay focused on the tasks ahead of us and the next game on the schedule. The boys are chomping on the bit for Tuesday’s game in Selkirk.”
