After several days of travel, practices, sightseeing, and team bonding, the Niverville Nighthawks finally opened play at the Centennial Cup on Thursday night, and they made sure their debut was memorable.
Facing the host Summerside Western Capitals in front of a large crowd at Credit Union Place Arena, the Nighthawks and Western Capitals each took turns exchanging leads before Marlen Edwards called game just 14 seconds into overtime to give Niverville a dramatic 5-4 victory.
Edwards finished the night with three points, while Adam Vigfusson and Luke Wagner each contributed two points in the win.
Following the opening ceremonies, which featured captains from all participating teams gathering at centre ice, both clubs wasted little time settling into the intensity of national championship hockey.
Summerside generated the game’s first dangerous chance just over a minute into the opening frame when the Western Capitals Brennan Murphy broke in alone on a breakaway, only to ring the puck off the post.
The home side continued to push early and eventually capitalized when Western Capitals captain Simon Mullen took a pass from Lane Sim near the top of the left circle and wired a shot past Nighthawks goaltender Austin Dubinsky to give Summerside a 1-0 lead.
A strong shift from the Nighthawks line of Vigfusson, Merik Boles, and Hayden Wheddon followed the goal. Even though they didn’t capitalize, it balanced the momentum and allowed the teams to continue to feel each other out.
Just past the midway mark of the first period, Kole Mears made a great play at centre ice, knocking a pass down with his skate for Edwards, who picked up the puck, moved into the offensive zone, and pulled off a slight toe drag before snapping a shot over the glove of Summerside netminder Kolton Bourret to tie the game 1-1.
Late in the period, the Nighthawks’ power play struck. Following a clean faceoff win by Loik Leduc, Thomas Phillips quickly moved the puck across to Dawson Zeller at the right point, and Zeller blasted a one-timer past Bourret to give Niverville its first lead of the night at 2-1.
After 20 minutes, the Nighthawks held a slight 10-8 edge in shots. The shots weren’t indicative of the play, as both teams traded some Grade A chances throughout the game, and both goaltenders made incredible saves to keep their teams close.
Summerside answered quickly in the second period.
Moments after Dubinsky made a spectacular glove save from point-blank range, Sim gloved down the puck at the bottom of the left circle, moved to the top of the crease, and slipped a backhand through Dubinsky to even the score at 2-2.
Niverville regained the lead shortly after on a beautiful passing play from its top line. Adam Vigfusson carried the puck to the top of the right circle and sold shot before sliding a perfect feed to Hayden Wheddon, driving the net. Wheddon redirected the puck past Bourret to restore the Nighthawks’ advantage at 3-2.
But the back-and-forth affair continued as the Western Capitals responded once again before the midway point of the period.
From behind the Nighthawks net, Justin Ouellette found Alexandre Guy at the bottom of the fthe right circle. His quick shot beat Dubinsky over the glove, and the two teams were tied once again.
Niverville nearly reclaimed the lead moments later, when Wheddon sprung Wagner on a breakaway, but Bourret came up with a glove save to keep the game tied.
Late in the second, Summerside appeared to take the lead on the power play after a scramble around the crease. A point shot hit the post, bounced off Dubinsky, and sat loose in the crease before eventually crossing the line.
However, officials immediately waved the goal off, determining that the puck hadn’t crossed the line before the whistle sounded, sending the teams into the second intermission tied 3-3.
The Nighthawks had a prime opportunity to move ahead early in the third period during a power play, generating several scoring chances, but Bourret stood tall.
And that proved important.
As the penalty expired, Summerside turned the momentum instantly. Jordan shaw jumped out of the penalty box just as the puck crossed the red line, raced in alone on Dubinsky, and finished a beautiful backhand-to-forehand move to put the hosts ahead 4-3.
But Niverville, as they have done all season long, answered once again.
Just over two minutes later, the Nighthawks went back to the power play and capitalized for the second time on the night. Vigfusson hammered a one-timer from the top of the right circle past Bourret after taking a setup pass from Boles, knotting the game at 4-4 and eventually forcing overtime.
Extra time lasted only 14 seconds.
After Summerside won the opening draw, captain Simon Mullen took the puck behind his own net and attempted a pass through the middle of the ice. Edwards anticipated the play perfectly, knocked the puck down, cut around Mullen on his backhand, and lifted the winner over Bourret’s glove to seal the comeback for the Nighthawks.
“I was reading the eyes of the defender, and I could tell by watching him during the game they like to swing the middle, and taking away the middle was probably the key part of it,” Edwards said in a post-game interview broadcast on HNLive.
Edwards, who’s making his second consecutive appearance in the national championship having played with the Northern Manitoba Blizzard last year, was asked about what he shared with his teammates about his previous experience.
“There’s no getting games back, and every game means everything, and so we just have to play hard and can’t let any games go.”
Niverville finished with a narrow 22-21 advantage in shots while going two-for-four on the power play.
The penalty kill also came through, successfully killing off two of three Summerside opportunities.
The Nighthawks (1-0) get Friday off before returning to action early Saturday afternoon against the Thunder Bay North Stars.
Puck drop is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. CST.