Spriggs nets the winner as Hawks defeat Mils 4-3 in Game 4 to even it up at 2-2

This SJHL quarter-final series is now down to just a best of 3 as the Nipawin Hawks slipped by the Melville Millionaires 4-3 on Wednesday night to tie up the Best of 7 series at 2 games apiece.

The Hawks would take of advantage of a sloppy and very slow start from the Millionaires as at one point early on in the game, they would be out shooting the Mils 9-. They also hit 2 goal posts and 1 cross bar but it was still scoreless game. That was until the 1:44 mark in the opening frame when Brennen Miller would deflect home his 2nd of the series on the power play on a nice feed from Tanner Kyle to give the Mils a 1-0 advantage after 1 period.

Mitch Lipon would make it a 2-0 game just 15 seconds into the 2nd as he would bang home a rebound off a Landon Farrell shot for his 2nd of the playoffs. But the Hawks would get on the board just 2:02 later as Keagan Kjargaard would captialize on a Mils turnover at the Hawks short handed and flick home his 1st just inside the post to cut the home team to within one at 2-1. The Hawks would get the equalizer just a short time later as off a scramble play, Reece Forman would be left wide open in the high slot and he would go top shelf on Trevor Martin to make it even at 2-2. The Mils though would once again get the lead back as Tyson Predinchuk would make a nice move around the Hawks dman and just send it towards the slot and it would go off a leg of a Hawk and through the five-hole of Joe O'Brien for his 3rd goal of the playoffs to make it a 3-2 lead for Melville after 40 minutes.

The Hawks would once again get the equalizer, again on the power play as Garret Dunlop would get the loose puck back door and sling it over a sprawled out Mils net minder for his 1st goal of the series to tie it up at 3-3. Nipawin would get their first lead and get the eventual game winner with just 5:38 remaining as Kris Spriggs would bang home his series leading 4th goal to get Nipawin a crucial 4-3 win on home ice.

Joe O'Brien got his 2nd win of the series as he stopped 27 shots while Trevor Martin made 29 saves in the loss.

The Hawks PP was 3/4 and was the difference on the night.

So the pivotal Game 5 will take place at the Horizon Credit Union Centre in Melville on Friday night at 7:30. GX94 will broadcast the game with Yorkton Dodge Junior Hockey, pregame 7:20 pxp at 7:30.

**Once again just a reminder that tickets for Game 5 will go on sale at 5PM til Game time at the Box Office in Horizon Credit Union Center.


Mils Head Coach/GM Jamie Fiesel post game comments can be found here at this link

https://soundcloud.com/bennywalchuk2/feez-post-mar-19

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Over in the MJHL,

The Wayway Wolverines' 2014/15 season came to an end as the Portage Terriers completed the sweep of the Wolverines with a 7-0 win on Wednesday night.

Kevin Pochuk led the way with 1G 2A while Zack Waldvogel had 2 goals as well to lead the way.

Justin Laforest made 21 saves for the shutout while Brandon Holtby made 32 saves in the loss.

I would like to wish the 20 year olds that had their Junior careers end tonight the best of luck going forward:

#9 Dylan Gedjos

#35 Mitch Wiebe

#10 George Spilchal

#27 Connar Bass

#25 Matt Miller