It was an up and down week for the male U18 Pembina Valley Hawks, as they dropped two of their three games.
It started with a 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Wild last Wednesday, but the Hawks then rebounded to double up Kenora 8-4 Friday. Sunday, though, then saw Pembina Valley fall 7-2 to Brandon.
Koen Bleznuk was under fire in the Hawks’ goal against the Wild in Winnipeg as he stopped 43 of 48 shots before the Wild put it away with an empty netter. Shots on goal overall were 49-23.
Ocean Fehr had a goal and an assist for Pembina Valley, with the other markers coming from Carson Hiebert and Cole Secord.
It was a different story against Kenora as the Hawks had a 46-26 edge in shots and took period leads of 4-1 and 6-3.
Tyson Pethybridge had a goal and an assist with Paxton White contributing a goal and a pair of assists. Also scoring were Fehr, Secord, Caden McMahon, Logan Delichte, and Mason Leite.
The Wheat Kings connected for a pair of power play goals as they held period leads of 3-1 and 4-2 before collecting three more unanswered goals in the final frame.
Hiebert and Ragnar Gillis scored for the Hawks, while Bleznuk took the loss with 32 saves. Shots on goal overall were even at 39 apiece.
Pembina Valley remains in eighth place at 23-17-1-1 for 48 points, which leaves them one back of Parkland and three behind Southwest.
The Hawks continue a five game homestand this weekend starting with Eastman Friday followed by Interlake Saturday and then the Winnipeg Bruins Sunday.
