It had been 186 days since the Winkler Flyers ended the Niverville Nighthawks’ playoff run, a loss that still lingers for returning players, coaches, and fans at the CRRC. On Friday night, the Nighthawks had a chance to deliver some long-awaited payback—and they delivered in a big way, earning a 4–2 victory over their East Division rivals.
The win was more than just redemption; it marked a milestone for the franchise. Coming into the night, Winkler held a dominant 10–0–1 record against Niverville in regular-season matchups. That streak came to an end, with the Nighthawks claiming their first-ever regulation win over the Flyers since joining the MJHL.
The Nighthawks doubled the Flyers in shots 46–19 and showcased a more consistent effort throughout the game. The win improves the Nighthawks’ perfect start to the 2025 season, with a record of 4–0.
“It was probably as close to 60 minutes as I’ve seen our team play all season,” says head coach Dwight Hirst. “Obviously we doubled them in shots tonight and that doesn’t come without consistency. The couple [of goals] we gave up tonight were just a lack of attention to detail, but overall I’m happy with how we played.”
The Nighthawks were determined to avoid a repeat of Wednesday’s slow start against the Portage Terriers, where they conceded a goal just two minutes into the game. On Friday, Niverville came out strong and kept the pressure on Winkler from puck drop, controlling the majority of the first period.
The Nighthawks were rewarded for their early dominance when Kole Mears won a battle in the corner and found a streaking Parker Carrier, who moved in from the point. Carrier fired a shot past Winkler goalie Leif Ekblad to score his first goal of the season to give Niverville the early lead.
Less than three minutes later, Merik Boles sent a perfect backhand sauce pass to Adam Vigfusson, who had found space in the right circle. Vigfusson one-timed a laser over Ekblad’s glove to make it 2–0 for Niverville.
The momentum carried into the second period when Loic Leduc put on a show of skill with a great effort to increase the lead to 3–0. Leduc, starting from his own blue line, sliced through four Winkler defenders before calmly tucking a shot under Ekblad’s arm, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Winkler, however, would not go quietly. After struggling to generate offence early, the Flyers broke through midway through the second. Niklas Gudmundson found Jacob Michelson wide open in the slot, and Michelson beat Nighthawks goalie Ben Chornomydz blocker-side to cut the deficit.
Moments later, the Flyers made it even tighter when Liam Carlone scored off a perfect pass from Kam Thomas, bringing Winkler within one goal at 3–2.
Despite Winkler’s push, Niverville held their ground. With less than a minute remaining in regulation, Carrier sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, his second of the game, to make it 4–2 and put the game out of reach.
By the Numbers
Niverville’s 46 shots were the most they’ve had in a game this season.
Parker Carrier’s two-goal night was the first two-goal game of his MJHL career.
Goaltender Ben Chornomydz picked up his first win as a Nighthawk, stopping 17 of 19 shots.
Adam Vigfusson led the Nighthawks with nine shots on goal. Hayden Wheddon finished with eight shots on goal.
Looking Ahead
Friday’s match was a physical, high-intensity affair, and the two East Division rivals will face off again on Sunday night in Winkler.
“With it being the second game of a home-and-home series, we expect Winkler to come even harder in their own building,” says Hirst. “To come away with a win, we’ll have to be ready to go.”
After Sunday’s game in Winkler, Niverville gets a couple days off before hitting the road and heading into Neepawa on Friday, October 10. They return home on Sunday to face the Dauphin Kings. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m.