News, Playoffs

Nighthawks tie series, Wolverines avoid elimination

by ksaurette

Photo: Your Pictures Here

WINNIPEG, MB – The Niverville Nighthawks edged the Winkler Flyers to tie their best-of-seven series on Thursday night while the Waywayseecappo Wolverines won on home ice in game four against the Dauphin Kings to avoid elimination in the opening round of the McMunn & Yates Turnbull Cup Playoffs.

Nighthawks 3 Flyers 2 | Best-of-seven series tied 2-2
Matteo Speranza scored the game winner with under ten minutes to play in the third period while Austin Dubinsky stood tall in the Nighthawks crease, stopping 25 of 27 shots in the close 3-2 win in game four over the Flyers.

Aiden Corbett’s powerplay marker got the Nighthawks an early lead in the first period before Brady Craik scored his second of the playoffs to tie the game up. No more than three minutes later, Nicholas McKee scored on the powerplay to put the Flyers up by one, only to have the Nighthawks tie the game up at 2-2 heading into the second period off a nice goal from Hayden Wheddon.

Following a scoreless second period, Matteo Speranza took a nice pass from Merik Boles and tucked it in on a backhand move to the five-hole to give Niverville a 3-2 lead. The Flyers would pull Liam Ernst for an extra attacker but that would be all as Niverville would take the win and tie the series up at 2-2 heading back to Winkler on Saturday night for game five.


Wolverines 5 Kings 3 | Kings lead best-of-seven series 3-1
Ryley Cyca found the back of the net twice while Mariko Bercier made 31 saves to help the Waywayseecappo Wolverines avoid elimination by beating the Dauphin Kings 5-3 in game four.

It was the Kings who would opened the scoring when Ethan Stewart netted his second of the postseason giving the Kings a 1-0 lead. Ryley Cyca scored his first of two on the night to tie the game up at 1-1 heading into the second. Cyca picked up where he left off and scored his second of the evening to give the Wolverines their first lead on the night with his powerplay goal. Just a few minutes later, Havryil Simchuk scored his first of the postseason on the man-advantage, tying the game up at 2-2 going into the third.

After Jacob McKague gave the Wolverines another one-goal lead in the early stages of the third, Declan Hoad would tie the game once again for the Kings as it looked like these two clubs were destined for overtime.


With 1:50 left to play, Aidan Herring scored the game winner while Cole Hunter would add an empty netter after the Kings pulled Sheffield for the extra attacker. The 5-3 Wolverines win will send the series back to Dauphin for game five on Saturday night.