The Niverville Nighthawks secured the top spot in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League standings on March 7, 2026, after a 4-3 overtime win against the Winkler Flyers in Niverville, Manitoba. This first-place finish guarantees the team will have home-ice advantage throughout the upcoming playoffs. This means the team will play the most important games of the season in front of their local crowd.
Dawson Zeller scored the winning goal during the overtime period to seal the victory for the home team. This was the third time Zeller has scored a winning goal in overtime during the 2025–2026 season.
The team’s success follows the announcement that head coach Dwight Hirst was named the league’s coach of the year. Hirst was given the Muzz MacPherson Award for his leadership of the team during their successful regular season.
Upcoming playoff games will be held at the Niverville Community Resource and Recreation Centre. The team is currently ranked among the best junior hockey teams in Canada as they prepare for the post-season.
