Hawks lose Keystone Cup opener

The Northern Hawks had a strong start at the Keystone Cup, but couldn’t hold on against a powerful Alberta opponent as the western Canadian Jr. B hockey championship got under way in Kamloops. B.C. on Thursday night.

Justin Backor and Ehren Menard scored first period goals to stake the Thunder Bay squad to an early 2-0 lead over the Beaumont Chiefs.

But the Chiefs owned the second and third periods, scoring six unanswered goals to take the tournament opener 6-2.

Lewis Donnan had a pair of goals for Beaumont, while Jordan Smallowod had a goal and an assist. Beaumont out-shot the Hawks 48-28, peppering goalie Josh Mrakic in all three periods.

The Hawks take to the ice twice on Friday, taking on the host Kamloops Storm and Saskatchewan’s Tri Town Thunder.

In other action, the B.C. representatives, the Revelstoke Grizzlies, won twice on Thursday, beating Kamloops 6-2 and Tri Town 4-2. Kamloops downed the Selkirk (Man.) Fishermen 7-1 and Tri-Town blanked Selkirk 1-0.