Top-seeded Winkler Flyers in a battle with Niverville Nighthawks

The Winkler Flyers have been given everything they can handle through three games of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League quarterfinals.

While a late game-winner from Brady Craik in game three has the Flyers leading the series against the Niverville Nighthawks 2-1, Niverville had both game one and three tied late into the third period, and won game two in lopsided fashion.

In game three, the Nighthawks were chasing from the first period, with Winkler taking 1-0 and 3-1 leads before a pair of goals from Luke Wagner and Evan Panzer drew the game even early in the third period.

Craik struck after a point shot was blocked, and bounced right in front of the crease. He picked up the puck with his back to the net, but his spinning shot fooled Austin Dubinsky and gave the Flyers the series lead.

The Nighthawks are hosting game four, which will be March 27 in Niverville. If a game six is needed it will be March 31. Winkler hosts a game March 29. If a game seven is needed it will be in Winkler April 2.

GAME 1

The Flyers brought their stifling style of play to game one of the series, winning 1-0 while holding the Nighthawks to just 14 shots in the game.

Austin Dubinsky held strong in net, stopping all comers until Kam Thomas struck mid-way through the third period. The puck bounced to Thomas at the faceoff circle, where he stepped up, lobbing a backhand which rode up a defender’s stick and fooled Austin Dubinsky, setting off celebrations in Winkler.

The Flyers were dominant to close out the game up one, drawing a penalty before hemming Niverville in their own zone. The Nighthawks could only pull their goalie with 30 seconds to go, with nearly all of the remaining time ticking away with the puck below the goal-line.

The Flyers boast a big, strong and deep defense-core, but are undermanned for this series after Connor Jensen received a 12-game suspension for actions in the team’s final game of the season against Selkirk.

Jensen had already taken a penalty for cross-checking Remy Hlady in front of his own net, and when Hlady got up and slashed Jensen, the defenseman responded with a slash of his own at Hlady’s head, which was delivered with enough force to break the stick.

GAME 2

It was a historic victory for Niverville in game two. The 6-1 result marked the Nighthawks first home victory in the playoffs, after the team was swept 4-0 by Steinbach last year, and only picked up a victory in Winkler in a 4-1 series loss in their first year of play.

Matteo Speranza got the Nighthawks on the right game script, taking advantage when Liam Ernst mishandled the puck behind his own net. Speranza’s wraparound after stealing the puck hit the back of the net, giving the Nighthawks a massive first goal of the series.

Dawson Zeller added what turned out to be the game-winning goal with 10 seconds to go in the third period. Hayden Wheddon took a hit to make a play, guiding the puck to Aiden Corbett as three Winkler players crashed towards him. While Corbett’s shot was stopped, Zeller cut in and poked the rebound home from the opposite side of the rink.

Wheddon finished with a goal and two assists in the game.

Winkler’s Jared Greiner was given a five-minute major and a one game suspension in the waning moments of the game after getting whistled for charging. Greiner crushed Henry Smith from behind as the Niverville defenseman clearly wasn’t aware the hit was coming, having already engaged in a board battle with a different Winkler player.