By Aaron Schulze

The Flashback: Hawks homecoming, Mustangs rebound, and Trojans control

Jan 18, 2019 | 1:20 PM

Nipawin Hawks Welcoming back a player

Zach Ziegler was away from the Nipawin Hawks for two years after playing two games for them in 2016-17.

Guessing how long he was gone for judging solely from the Hawks home game Friday, Jan. 11, one would assume it’d have been two days.

The 19-year-old defenceman didn’t look out of place on the ice with his decision making, passing, or skating, and doesn’t appear to look out of place with the dressing room.

Goaltender Patrick Pugliese pretended to record him during a postgame interview and asked him who his three stars of the game were. Ziegler remembered the names of his goaltender/reporter Austen Flaman, and Jake Tremblay — nicknames and all.

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To be fair, Ziegler did play with Flaman and Tremblay for the Balgonie Prairie Storm Bantam AA team in 2013-14, although it genuinely feels both him and the Hawks dressing room have embraced one another early on.

“You can tell they’re actually all like brothers,” Ziegler told northeastNOW. “They’re bonding. They’re a tight group in there and I love it.”

Other than a different roster, not much has changed for Ziegler in his return to Nipawin as he cited head coach Doug Johnson and the loud crowd at the Centennial Arena.

During the 2016-17 season where he played his two games for the Hawks, Ziegler finished his final midget hockey season with the Swift Current Legionnaires.

Although the Hawks had his Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) rights, Ziegler decided to play for the Lloydminster Bobcats in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Eighty games and 36 points (four goals and 32 assists) over two seasons later, Ziegler’s hockey career took a sudden shift.

“I played a game Wednesday night, coach (Travis Clayton) called me in and told me I had been traded to the Nipawin Hawks,” Ziegler said. “I had a good feeling Doug (Johnson) was going to try and acquire me. I came here and it was a pretty quick turnaround. Got into the line-up, got to get out here with the guys and get to know them.”

Two teams and two leagues in three days is quick, but that near five-hour drive from Lloydminster to Nipawin probably wasn’t.

Ziegler was right to guess Johnson wanted to acquire him, just by the way the Hawks head coach described him to northeastNOW.

“He’s a very intelligent player,” Johnson said. “He probably plays more similar to Josh McDougall than any other defenceman on our roster right now and that’s very appealing. He’s going to help us in transition because his feet are so strong.”

Josh McDougall led the Hawks in scoring with 74 points on route to their SJHL championship last season. High praise.

The Hawks needed a revamped defence with 17-year-old Cole Beamin staying with the Prince George Cougars in the WHL for the rest of the season. With 18-year-old D Andrew Smiley being the cost to get Ziegler, he can expect to get a fair share of big minutes with the Hawks.

More importantly, he’ll be playing those big minutes this season, and potentially next in front of family and friends. As Ziegler didn’t just return to Nipawin, but the White City native gets to play hockey in Saskatchewan once more.

“My dad was here tonight so that was nice,” Ziegler said postgame. “We actually have lots of games closer to home now so I’m sure the whole family would like to come out.

“It’s nice to be playing in front of family again. It’s been a while.”

The over six-hour drive to La Ronge on Friday may be too long for Ziegler’s family. But Saturday, Jan. 19 could be one of the first of many four-hour drives to Nipawin when the Hawks host the Ice Wolves.

Melfort Mustangs – Back on the horse

Now it’s time for a Flashback first.

Our reporter Mat Barrett did an excellent job previewing the Melfort Mustangs’ home-and-home series against the Humboldt Broncos, from the Mustangs defensive struggles to the head-to-head results between the horse-themed teams.

Tisdale Trojans – Controlling fate

Getting five out of a potential six points in a three-game homestand is considered is a good stretch.

For the Tisdale Trojans, accomplishing this in their latest homestand is even more important for two reasons.

First, the Saskatoon Blazers and Swift Current Broncos are near the top of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) while the Prince Albert Mintos are just a bitter rival.

Second, the season is almost over.

The Trojans have now played 33 of 44 games, meaning they’re three quarters through the season. Their 26-3-3-1 record gives them 56 points (tied for first with Saskatoon), and a league lead in win percentage (0.85) and points percentage (0.788).

As defenceman Landon Kosior best put it after the first game of the stretch against Swift Current: “We control our destiny.”

That they do. The Trojans have a spot in the Telus Cup Western Regionals as tournament hosts and can also guarantee home ice advantage throughout the SMAAAHL playoffs.

However, clinching first place isn’t an easy layup. There are two contenders at the top of the SMAAAHL standings that have the best chance of preventing a Trojans first place finish.

The Saskatoon Blazers are tied with the Trojans in points with 56, but only have eight games remaining to gain points from compared to the Trojans 11.

There are two points to be gained with a win. If the Blazers win their final eight games and finish the season with 72 points, the Trojans would need to win eight of their last 11 and get a point in one of the other three games.

Another threat are the Regina Pat Canadians, who are behind the Trojans and Blazers with 48 points but have two and five games in hand on them respectively.

If the Pat C’s win the games they have in hand on the Blazers, they could finish ahead with 58 points. While behind in the standings, the Pat C’s are worth to keep an eye on.

A positive for the Trojans is both the Blazers and Pat C’s play each other three more times to share some of those last remaining points.

The Trojans journey to clinch first begins Saturday, Jan .19 in Gull Lake as they play the Swift Current Legionnaires on Hockey Day in Saskatchewan.

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow