The Niverville Nighthawks picked up their thirtieth win of the season and showed no signs of slowing down in their first road game of 2026, combining for eight goals for the second straight contest.
Coming into the matchup riding a five-game winning streak, the Nighthawks faced a Neepawa squad that had won eight of its last ten. But Niverville’s red-hot offence stole the spotlight, extending their current winning streak to six games and improving to a perfect 3–0 versus the Titans this season.
Fast Start Sets the Tone
For the second consecutive game, the Nighthawks wasted no time getting on the board.
Just 1:04 into the opening period, Merik Boles finished off a beautiful three-way passing play from Hayden Wheddon and Adam Vigfusson to make it 1–0. It was deja-vu for Boles, who had also scored one minute into Niverville’s previous game against the Winnipeg Blues.
Moments later, a scrum ensued inside the Neepawa blue line, and when the dust settled the Nighthawks found themselves on a five-on-three power play.
Thirteen seconds after play resumed, Loik Leduc buried his fifteenth goal of the season from the bottom of the right circle, converting a perfect feed from Vigfusson to double the lead.
And the offence kept coming.
Kole Mears made it 3–0 after Ryken Arran chipped the puck past the Titans’ defence, drove hard to the net, and created a rebound that Mears snapped home for his ninth of the season.
Niverville struck again when Luke Wagner found Arran streaking toward the crease. Arran’s shot slipped past Titans starter Zach Burleigh to make it 4–0.
Before the period came to a close, Thomas Phillips capped off a dominant first period with his fifth goal of the campaign. With Burleigh down and out after a net-front scramble, Leduc sent a pass to Phillips, who lifted the puck over the Titans netminder to make it 5–0.
It marked the third time this season that the Nighthawks have scored five goals in a single period. The Nighthawks’ season-high for goals in a period was a seven-goal outburst against Virden on December 7.
Titans Push Back
Neepawa got on the board in the second period when Keenan Skrupa found a streaking Jack Clark, who entered the zone late and ripped a shot past Austin Dubinsky to cut the deficit to 5–1.
The Titans continued to push and struck again just past the midway point of the period. Tyler Wamboldt’s shot from the right circle was stopped by Dubinsky, but the rebound bounced directly to Grayson Slaney, who buried it into an open cage to make it 5–2.
Neepawa’s momentum was short-lived.
Niverville answered on the power play with a breakaway goal from newcomer Marlen Edwards. Acquired just a day earlier, Edwards took a stretch pass from Aaron Krestanowich and broke in alone, snapping a shot past Alex Myers—who replaced Burleigh to start the second period—and restoring the Nighthawks’ four-goal cushion.
Boles, Arran Seal It
Boles struck again early in the third period, finishing off a two-on-one with Vigfusson. John Scott sprung Boles with a flip pass out of the defensive zone. Boles then gave the puck to Vigfusson, who slid it back across. Boles patiently tucked the puck between Myers’ legs to make it 7–2.
Ryken Arran put an exclamation point on his night with his second goal and third point of the game. Picking up the puck along the left boards, Arran danced around a defender, drove into the slot, and lifted a backhand over Myers’ glove to make it 8–2.
Neepawa added a late goal, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overcome the Nighthawks’ offence. Niverville now improves to 30–2–1 on the season.
By the Numbers
Dubinsky stopped 24 of 27 shots, earning his league-leading twenty-second win of the season, improving his record to 22–2–1.
Nighthawks went two-for-four on the power play, and one-for-two on the penalty kill.
Vigfusson had three assists to extend his point streak to four games. It’s the eighth time this season that Vigfusson has had three or more points in a game. The three points gave Vigfusson 49 this season, tying him with teammate Wheddon and Rhett Platt of the Portage Terriers for the league lead.
Arran extended his point streak to three games with a three-point night (two goals, one assist).
Boles had two goals, notching his third straight multi-point game and extended his point streak to four games.
Leduc had two points (one goal, one assist), extending his point streak to eight games. Leduc has six goals and 15 points during that span.
Mears extended his point streak to four with a goal.
Edwards scored his first of the season in his Nighthawk debut.
With the eight goal outburst, the Nighthawks now have scored a league-leading 157 goals, surpassing Steinbach’s 154.
Nighthawks Add Firepower
Earlier in the week, the Nighthawks made a notable move, acquiring Edwards from the Northern Manitoba Blizzard in exchange for defenceman Seth Quayle and forward Renat Nahnieiev.
Edwards was a key contributor with the Blizzard last season, the league’s Turnbull Cup champion, recording 44 points in 51 regular-season games and adding 15 points in 16 playoff contests. This season, he appeared in 26 games with the NAHL’s Minot Minotauros, collecting seven points (three goals, four assists).
Niverville returns home Friday night to host the Swan Valley Stampeders at the CRRC. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.