Wheelers knock out Huskies

Wheelers knock out Huskies

Sunday, March 7, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies played their best game of their NWJHL semi-final series, but it still wasn’t enough, as the Grande Prairie Wheelers held on for a 5-4 win on Sunday evening.

Cordell Shmyr and Kyle Weegar both scored a pair of goals, while Riley Halwa added the game winner.

Payden Wongstedt returned to the Huskies lineup, and made an immediate impact, scoring three times, including twice on the powerplay. Cam MacKinnon scored the other Huskies goal.

Garrett Muir suffered the loss in goal stopping 29 of 34 shots he faced, while Kris Dika extended his playoff record to 7-0, stopping 25 of 29 shots.

“They’ve got really good defence, and their goalie played a really good game tonight” said Huskies forward Cody Kalb after the game.  The Huskies were obviously disappointed to see their season come to a close, but also took solace in knowing they had put their full effort into trying to come back.  “The coach did a great job preparing us, and the trainers did everything they could, and we all played our butts off” said Ryan Stickel after the game, suggesting “just that little feeling of urgency” was all that was missing.

Click here to listen to a highlights package from Sunday’s game.

For the Huskies, the season comes to an end.

For some, including Cody Kalb, it means an end to junior hockey altogether.  Kalb says he's still unsure of his future plans at this point, although he says he may suit up for the Senior Flyers at some point.  “We’ll see what happens with the Allan Cup this year, and with the Flyers next year, so … maybe” Kalb said.

Kyle Porter was forced to watch the entire playoffs from the stands, after being served a lengthy suspension in a regular season game in Slave Lake. “It’s tough" said the forward, "but you know what, you always look forward to something bigger, and I’ll go play senior next year, and good luck to the boys next year.”

Ryan Stickel was playing his first season with the Huskies, after moving back to Fort St. John after previously playing collegiate baseball.  Stickel is eligible to play Junior next year, and says he's excited for the chance.  “Hopefully I’d like to come back and play with these guys, and give ‘er another shot again" said the defenceman.  "I really enjoyed my year, getting to be back here with all my buddies and play hard with them and play beside them, and I was lucky enough when I came back they gave me an opportunity to go ahead and play my game, so I’d like to be able to come back and give them another year … if they want me anyway.”

Huskies vs the Grande Prarie Wheelers march 7 2010

Huskies come derailed

Huskies come derailed

Friday, March 5, 2010

Wheelers cruise to game 2 win

Wheelers cruise to game 2 win

Thursday, March 4, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Grande Prairie Wheelers posted another impressive 60-minute performance, as they held serve on home ice on Wednesday night.

After winning game one in Fort St. John on Monday night, the Wheelers effectively crashed the net and took advantage of a depleted Fort St. John defence, in a 5-2 win in game two.

Robbie Sidhu opened the scoring for the Huskies, but two quick goals from Grande Prairie gave the Wheelers a lead after 20 minutes, and the Huskies couldn't climb back in the game.

Garrett Muir suffered the loss in goal, while Kris Dika won his fifth straight playoff start for Grande Prairie.  It was Muir's first action since game two of the Beaverlodge series, and the netminder admits it took him a while to re-adjust.

The Huskies had a hard time challenging Kris Dika in the game, though Coach Bob Kalb says he didn't think Grande Prairie played its best game, and felt it was winnable. 

Game three goes Friday night at the North Peace Arena, and the Huskies know the pressure will be on them, if they don't want the series to fall out of reach. 

Wheelers take game 1 8-4

Wheelers take game 1 8-4

Monday, March 1, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies were missing players and brains on Monday night, as they dropped game one of their second-round playoff series to the Grande Prairie Wheelers.  

The second-ranked Huskies were almost doubled in shots (47-25) and pressured for long stretches in their own zone, for almost the entire 60 minutes.

Missing a legion of key players, the pups played short-benched and with three Midget call-ups on defence.  With Payden Wongstedt, Jesse Disher, and Kyle Porter all suspended, the Fort St. John squad was also missing Dylan Apsassin, Ryan Stickel, Cash Brinkworth, Cam MacKinnon, and Brighton Campbell, and the absence were glaring.  “Huge” was how Huskies Assistant Coach Jeremy Clothier described the missing bodies.  “You show up to a hockey game, and a couple of your guys aren’t here … they just don’t show up” he lamented.  “It hurts the dressing room a little bit.”

The Wheelers took full advantage, sending a relentless forecheck deep into the FSJ zone, and creating endless scoring chances.  By the end of the first period, Grande Prairie was up 3-0, and while the Huskies took advantage of some powerplays in the second to climb back into the game, the Wheelers soon pulled away again.

Grande Prairie got offensive contributions from almost the entire lineup, with Kyle Weegar and Cordell Shmyr both scoring a pair of goals, and Riley Halwa, Nathan Johnson and Jarvis Dawson also finding the back of the net.  
“They got shots” said Clothier of Grande Prairie’s success.  “They drove the net, they stayed out of the penalty box, they out forechecked us, and they outworked us.”

Kole Norris led the way offensively for Fort St. John, recording two goals and an assist, while Robbie Sidhu also had a pair of goals.  

Ty Gullickson got his fourth consecutive start, and actually played remarkably well, despite conceding 8 goals.  Kris Dika won his fourth game of the playoffs, after playing each game in Grande Prairie’s first-round sweep of Sexsmith.  

Cody Poggenpohl was one of the three NEBC and Yukon Tracker-Flyers to dress for the Huskies on the back-end.  “I’m still little out of shape” he admitted afterwards, referring to a torn ligament that has kept him off the ice, adding “I think it was a lot of fun out there.”  It was Poggenpohl's first game with the Huskies, while his Midget teammates David Green and Jordan Walters had both played in the 2009 playoffs.  Poggenpohl had his own theory on what led to the Huskies demise on Monday, suggesting simply “we couldn’t get the puck out.”  

The Huskies coaching staff seemed pleased with the performances of all three Midgets, giving all of them plenty of ice time in all situations.  “They fit in good” said Jeremy Clothier, adding “they work hard, they’re physical, they know what they have to do out there.”

The final score was 8-4 in favour of the guests, with the series now shifting back to Grande Prairie for game two on Wednesday night.  
“We’ve got to get better game-preparation” advised Cody Poggenpohl, who is expecting to dress on Wednesday.  “We walked into this game and no one was really into it … so next game we’ve just got to get into it more.”

Huskies send Blades packing

Huskies send Blades packing

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies advanced to the second round, with a comfortable win over Beaverlodge in game five on Wednesday night.

The Blades scored the first goal, on a sharp angle shot from Taylor Jones four minutes into the first period.

But from there on out, it was all Fort St. John. Cody Gayse returned to the Blades lineup, and played the full 60 minutes in goal, facing 50 shots in total.

The Huskies scored five in the first, three in the second, and another four in the third, for a 12-2 victory.

The Huskies second line was particularly potent, with Luke McInerney, Cody Hildebrand, and Robbie Sidhu combining for seven goals. McInerney recorded four points (2 goals + 2 assists), Hildebrand had five (3+2) and Sidhu had 2 (2 goals). “It was excellent” said Cody Hildebrand after the game. “I love playing with them … we know where each other are all the time.” Hildebrand is hopeful the trio will stick together, saying “we played good enough tonight to prove that we should be together.”

In all, the Huskies got goals from Kole Norris (3), Sidhu (2), Hildebrand (3), McInerney (2), Cash Brinkworth, and Cody Kalb.

Taylor Jones had both goals for the Blades, to bring his total in the five-game series to nine goals, though Fort St. John did do a better job of shutting down the top line of Jones, Aaron Dumas, and Bob Bailey. “Five games in eight days for Beaverlodge, and that number-one line of theirs has been going every second shift all this time, and I know that they had to be getting tired, and you could see it tonight” said Huskies Coach Bob Kalb after the game. Kalb also referenced Beaverlodge’s goaltending situation, saying “they had their backup there tonight, and he did alright, but he had a lot of shots.”

Ty Gullickson made 34 saves, including a few eye-popping ones, for his third straight win in goal, though Coach Kalb says he was simply riding a hot goaltender, and still plans to use Garrett Muir in the next round.

There were four fights in the third period, however, the game did not devolve into the penalty-filled gong-show that many had been expecting, after the bad blood that had been developing earlier in the series. “Actually I thought it went pretty good” said Coach Kalb afterwards. “One of their guys came and talked to our captain about halfway through the game, and just said ‘show a little class, and we’ll try to as well’ so I don’t think they wanted to get things carried away.” Kalb said there were “one or two things that needed to get straightened out” but that otherwise his team wanted to stick to ‘playing hockey’.

The season is now over for the Blades, while the Huskies will advance to take on the Grande Prairie Wheelers in the next round. “They’re a good team, they’re going to be tougher than Beaverlodge, that’s for sure” said Cody Hildebrand of the Wheelers. “But we’ve got to come out and play our game, and we’ll be fine.”
Coach Kalb also seemed confident with his team’s chances, though he did admits it still has improvements to make. “We’re going to have to be better, we’re going to have to toughen up, and tighten up defensively” said Kalb, particularly referring to a need to be more disciplined down the road.

Round two (best-of-seven) schedule so far:

Game 1 - Mon. March 1st @ Fort St. John
Game 2 - Wed. Mar. 3rd - @ Grande Prairie
Game 3 - Fri. Mar. 5th - @ Fort St. John
Game 4 - TBA @ GP

Huskies force a game 5

Huskies force a game 5

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies rolled to a 12-2 win in game four of their first-round playoff series on Monday night, to force a fifth and deciding game.

It was an eventful night in Beaverlodge, with more than 100 minutes in penalties assessed, and six fights breaking out.

The game seemed almost destined to end up in chaos, after the ejection of Beaverlodge goaltender Nolan Bowker (which led to a lengthy delay) and some bad blood, during game three in Fort St. John on Saturday.

Without the services of their two carded goaltenders (Bowker was suspended, and Cody Gayse was out of town), Beaverlodge was forced to start defenceman Tyrell Jones in goal in game four. And while the Blades kept it close through the first period, it seemed only a matter of time until the dam would burst.

The Huskies got first period goals from Cody Hildebrand, Cody Kalb, and Ryan Stickel, while Bob Bailey and Taylor Jones replied for Beaverlodge, for a 3-2 Fort St. John lead after 20 minutes.

In the second, the flood-gates opened, as the Huskies began to take advantage of an inexperienced goaltender in the Beaverlodge net. Fort St. John would add four more in the second, and another five in the third, for a final score of 12-2.

The Huskies got goals from Cody Hildebrand (2), Cody Kalb (3), Ryan Stickel, Kole Norris, Cam MacKinnon, Brighton Campbell (2), Luke McInerney, and Linden Apsassin. Bob Bailey and Taylor Jones replied with goals for Beaverlodge. Ty Gullickson got his second consecutive start in goal for Fort St. John, adding his second win of the series, after recording a shutout in game three.

Once the Blades began to realize the game was slipping out of reach, they began to crank up their physical play, leading to six different fights, as well as some chippy play both ways.

Robbie Sidhu was held to one assist in the game, but was one of six Huskies to drop the gloves. “I think they were just mad from what happened with their goalie” Sidhu said afterwards, “but I don’t think we can control that.”

Even Kole Norris got in on the act, dropping his gloves to defend himself after getting jumped by Nick Darke for the second consecutive game. “We told the guys just to keep their heads, and protect themselves” Huskies Assistant Coach Jeremy Clothier said after the game. “Don’t go out there looking for fights … but they happen. We had a couple of guys get jumped tonight, and a couple other incidents happen, and that’s not allowed.”

Payden Wongstedt’s eagerly anticipated return to the Huskies lineup was short-lived, as the Captain was ejected just five minutes into the game, for a hit-to-the head on Cody Moulds. As well, a member of the Beaverlodge coaching staff was kicked out, for his arguments after a disallowed Blades goal in the second period.

Click here to listen to a highlights package from game four.

“Apparently they’ve got a goalie now, so it should be a good game” Sidhu says of the game five matchup. “If we come out hard, we should easily win the series” he added.

Huskies vs the Beaverlodge Blades, February 23 2010

Huskies vs Beaverlodge Blades February 19 2010

Huskies stay alive with game 3 snoozer

Huskies stay alive with game 3 snoozer

Sunday, February 21, 2010

By Jon Zacks

It seemed like it took all night, but the Huskies posted a lop-sided win over Beaverlodge on Saturday night, to force a game four.

It was close for the first period, with the only goals coming off the sticks of Cam MacKinnon and Luke McInerney, for a 2-0 Fort St. John lead after 20 minutes.

In the second, the Huskies began to get to Blades goaltender Nolan Bowker, with Brighton Campbell scoring a minute in, and Robbie Sidhu adding his first of the series a few minutes later.

Halfway through the middle frame, fans were left scratching their heads, after a bizarre and unfortunate series of events. It began when Luke McInerney scored his second of the game, and then talked some trash towards the Beaverlodge netminder. Nolan Bowker responded by squirting McInerney with his water bottle. Bowker’s reaction was spotted by the referee, and earned him a gross misconduct. With Bowker kicked out of the game, and the Beaverlodge not carrying a back-up goaltender, the Blades’ coaching staff pulled its team from the game, and it appeared as if the Huskies would win by forfeit.

But, after learning the forfeit could lead to a suspension, and possibly even a forfeit of the entire series, the Blades decided to finish the game. After a delay of about an hour, the Blades got off their bus and back into their gear, while forward Daniel Yuill put on Bowker’s pads, and backstopped Beaverlodge the rest of the way.

“I didn’t think I was going to get sprayed in the face” admitted McInerney after the game. The forward admitted readily to ‘beaking’ the Blades goaltender, laughing that he thought it might help his team get in Bowker’s head.
“I have no idea what was going through their minds” said Huskies coach Bob Kalb of the unusual predicament. “It’s their problem for showing up with one goaltender. He did something stupid, gets a gross misconduct, you dress someone else, you don’t pack up your gear like little children and go home.”

Once the game did restart, it lacked intensity, though the Huskies did double their score, firing five more goals past a hapless Daniel Yuill. Luke McInerney added another goal, to complete his hat-trick, while Brighton Campbell and Robbie Sidhu added their second goals of the game, and Cody Kalb and Owen MacKinnon also found the back of the net. After getting pulled halfway through the first period of game one, Ty Gullickson held on to record a shutout.

But, the game didn’t run out without incident. Shortly after the restart, Blade Ryier Hommy was ejected for hitting Cody Hildebrand from behind. It was the second time in the series Hildebrand had taken a stiff hit from behind. He did not return to the game, though he is expected to play in game four.
With three minutes remaining, Cody Darke jumped Huskies forward Kole Norris. Norris would be okay, but Darke’s actions would further infuriate the Fort St. John players, coaches, and fans. “I shouldn’t have even had Kole out there, he was going after him” said Coach Kalb. “Kole is obviously not a fighter” he said, “we didn’t have a chance to get somebody else out there and give him something to fight about.”

And so, the Huskies will now head back to Beaverlodge for game four, still needing two more victories to win the series. Game four will be on Monday night, and Coach Kalb says his team still needs to be prepared for a battle from the Blades.

Round 1 Schedule:

Game 1 - Beaverlodge 6 - Fort St. John 5 (OT)
Game 2 - Beaverlodge 7- Fort St. John 4
Game 3 - Fort St. John 10 - Beaverlodge 0
Game 4 - Mon. Feb 22 @ Beaverlodge (live on Moose FM)
Game 5 - Wed. Feb 24 @ Fort St. John (if necessary)

Blades push Huskies to the brink

Blades push Huskies to the brink

Saturday, February 20, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies will need hard hats and climbing boots to get back in their first round series against the Beaverlodge Blades.

After a disappointing game one loss on home ice on Wednesday, the Huskies put out a better effort in game two on Friday night. But, they still couldn’t contain the relentless attack of Aaron Dumas and Taylor Jones, losing by a score of 7-4.

The Huskies got the start they wanted, when Steven Fast beat Nolan Bowker on a powerplay less than four minutes into the game.

With 32 seconds remaining, Josh Majoros jammed a loose puck past Garrett Muir to get the Blades on the board. Before the pups could collect themselves, the Blades had another 2-on-1, and Aaron Dumas scored. Dumas’ goal came just 10 seconds after the Majoros goal, giving the Blades a shock 2-1 lead after 20 minutes of play.

The emotions only heightened in the second. 5 minutes into the middle frame, a Gage Wells point shot found its way through a sea of legs and past Muir to give Beaverlodge a 3-1 lead.

Soon, the game swung dramatically in the Blades’ favour. With the Huskies pressing, Cody Hildebrand thought he had scored with a slap-shot from the right-hand side. But, play continued, and as the Blades came back the other way, Bob Bailey beat Muir. Instead of trailing 3-2, the pups were now down 4-1, and they were reeling. Hildebrand himself was kicked out for arguing, while the team struggled to regain its composure. The consensus among players and fans is that the Hildebrand shot had indeed scored, but had gone through a hole in the net. But the Huskies arguments fell on deaf ears, and the Blades had a three goal lead. “You think you’re climbing out, and all of a sudden, you have the hole give way, and you’ve fallen a little deeper” said defenceman Ryan Stickel of the turn of events. “Just a lot of frustration” he said of the emotions from his team. “We’d hit a few posts, and had a few bounced not go our way.”

The Huskies had some chances on the powerplay to get back in the game, but the Blades effectively blocked shots, and Nolan Bowker controlled his rebounds much better than he had in game one. After the Blades successfully killed a two-man advantage, Taylor Jones scored a breakaway to make it 5-1 Beaverlodge. Brighton Campbell shovelled a puck past Bowker late in the period, to get the Huskies back on the board, and to help regain some momentum before the end of the second.

But in the third, the Huskies began to take chances, and the Blades took advantage. Taylor Jones put his great speed to work, scoring two more breakaways, and notching his second hat-trick in as many games. The Huskies did get two back in the third, scored by Cam MacKinnon and Cody Kalb. But, the clock quickly wound down, and the Blades took a win, and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.

“I honestly thought we had a pretty good effort out there” said Ryan Stickel after the game. “But we weren’t using our heads” he said. Stickel said his team had pinched at the wrong times, and tried too hard to force the play once they fell behind in the game.

Stickel also gave credit to the Blades, who have shown tremendous courage and belief so far in the series. “Their effort was good” Stickel said of the Blades' underdog performance. “They’re a good puck moving team, and their top line moves the puck around well.”

Click here to listen to a highlights package from game 2.

Huskies vs Beaverlodge Blades February 19 2010 Pt. 3

Huskies Vs. Beaverlodge Blades, February 19 2010 Pt2

Huskies Vs. Beaverlodge Blades, February 19 2010 Pt1

Blades shock Huskies in game 1

Blades shock Huskies in game 1

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies followed up their best game of the season, with one of their worst.

After a mammoth effort to defeat the Whitecourt Wolverines on Saturday, the Huskies were riding a high heading into their first round playoff series against the seventh-ranked Beaverlodge Blades.

But, Wednesday's game one didn’t go according to plan, with Fort St. John stumbling out of the blocks, and eventually losing in overtime.

Beaverlodge struck four times in the first period, including two short-handed breakaways, a 3-on-1, and a powerplay goal. The third goal spelled the end of the night for Huskies starter Ty Gullickson, who was replaced by Garrett Muir halfway through the opening period.

The Huskies got two of their own in the first, including a Luke McInerney redirect on a nifty pass from Jesse Disher, and a Dylan Apsassin rebound.

Fort St. John scored the only goal of the second period, when Cody Kalb fought his way to the front of the net and jammed the puck past Blades goaltender Nolan Bowker.

Finally, in the third period, it seemed like the pups had woken up. Cody Kalb scored his second of the night, on a sensational solo effort. Minutes later, Cody Hildebrand banged in his own rebound to give the Huskies a 5-4 lead.

But, they weren’t out of the woods yet, and Daniel Yuill soon redirected a Taylor Jones centring pass past Muir to retie the game. Both teams had a few chances to end it in regulation, but no one could find the back of the net, and game one went into overtime.

Early in the extra frame, with Jesse Disher in the box for a hooking penalty, Taylor Jones fired a bullet from the point that found its way through Garrett Muir, to give Jones a hat-trick, and give the Blades a game one win.

“I haven’t seen such a terrible effort all year” said Huskies Coach Bob Kalb of his team’s performance. Kalb was disappointed with his team’s effort, particularly after it his squad had played such a complete game just days before.

Despite a two-goal performance, Cody Kalb was similarly disenchanted with his team’s output.

Updated round 1 schedule:

Game 1 - Beaverlodge 6 - Huskies 5 (OT)
Game 2 - Friday Feb. 19 @ Beaverlodge (live on Moose FM)
Game 3 - Saturday Feb. 20 @ Fort St. John
Game 4 - Monday Feb. 22 @ Beaverlodge
Game 5 - Wednesday Feb. 24 @ Fort St. John

Huskies open playoffs against Blades Wed.

Huskies open playoffs against Blades Wed.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

By Jon Zacks

The Huskies are riding a high as they head into the playoffs.

The Huskies played their best game of the season, when they beat Whitecourt 4-2 in the final game of the regular season, to ruin the Wolverines' bid for a perfect season.

After finishing second overall, Fort St. John now takes on the seventh-ranked Beaverlodge Blades. The Huskies won all five regular season matchups between the teams, though the Blades are also riding a high, after beating the third-ranked Grande Prairie Wheelers in their final regular season game.

For Fort St. John Coach Bob Kalb, the key to beating Beaverlodge is to effectively shut down the Blades' top line.

Kalb says the Huskies will start Ty Gullickson in goal tonight, though he stresses Gullickson and Garrett Muir both remain the teams' equal number ones. Kalb says he'll stick with a rotation "as as they keep playing the way they are."

The bad news:

The Huskies have learned that two of their key players will be missing for at least the first few games. Captain Payden Wongstedt has been served a three-game suspension for his second match-penalty of the year. Wongstedt allegedly sprayed a Wolverine with a waterbottle in the Feb. 14th win over Whitecourt, earning the misconduct. Wongstedt plays a lot of minutes on the blue-line, and also typically matches up against the opponents' top lines, meaning the pups will need other defencemen to step up in shutting down Aaron Dumas and co. "We use him on the powerplay situations as well" says Coach Kalb, adding "it's just one of those things we just have to through."

Kyle Porter has been officially suspended for six months, after getting involved in a melee Feb. 7th in Slave Lake. Porter was charged with striking an official. Porter missed the subsequent weekend against Whitecourt, but the Huskies are planning an appeal of his suspension.

Round One Schedule:

Game 1 - Wednesday Feb. 17 - North Peace Arena
Game 2 - Friday Feb. 19 - Beaverlodge Arena
Game 3 - Saturday Feb. 20 - North Peace Arena

Huskies bounce back in a big way

Huskies bounce back in a big way

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Huskies fall apart in Slave Lake

Huskies fall apart in Slave Lake

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Huskies win duel with Navs

Huskies win duel with Navs

Friday, February 5, 2010

By Jon Zacks.

It seems like the Huskies and Navigators just can’t play bad games against each other.

The old NWJHL rivals engaged in another great battle on Friday night, with Fort St. John prevailing thanks to some stellar goaltending, and execution on special teams.

It didn’t start well for the Huskies, with Brenton Wiebe banging a loose puck past Ty Gullickson on a delayed penalty, just 7 seconds into the game.  But, while the Navigators kept the pressure on for roughly the first ten minutes of the game, the Huskies survived, killed off some penalties, and then got on the front foot.

With Steven Fast and the MacKinnon brothers all out of the lineup, Luke McInerney centred the second line, and made the most of the opportunity, scoring a powerplay goal with 6 ½ minutes left in the first, for a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes.

The Huskies struck twice in the second period, with Cody Hildebrand finishing a beautifully executed 2-on-1 with Cody Kalb, and Cory Langdon shoving a rebound past Cole Robert on a mad scramble.

While the Huskies had survived an emotional first period, the Navs soon faced the same adversity, with Lance Rapson kicked out for his complaining after Langdon’s goal. 

But, the Navs fought back, and Alex Balfour scored a powerplay goal of his own, to get the Navs within one after 2 periods.  Early in the third, Kurt Konopelka beat Gullickson on a long breakaway, to tie the game up 3-3.

But, after taking a couple of penalties in the first, Payden Wongstedt again showed how pivitol a player he is, when he beat two defenders, and then fired between Roberts’ legs, to give the Huskies their third powerplay goal of the night, and a 5-4 lead.

Two weeks ago in Peace River, the Navs had come back from a late defecit to win in overtime, but on this night, the Huskies killed the clock, and got some clutch goaltending from Gullickson to preserve the lead.  Finally, with five seconds left, Cody Hildebrand slid the puck into an empty net, to give the Huskies a 5-3 win.  After the final horn, Wongstedt fought Kyle Smith, after the Navigator had allegedly butt-ended Kyle Porter.

Ty Gullickson made 33 saves on the night, and earned high praise from Peace River coach Darcy Haugan for his performance.  He made several key saves in the third period, but was perhaps most impressive in pouncing on loose pucks to negate goal-scoring chances.  “I was just being aggressive, and being confident in getting there” he said after the game.  “I’m feeling confident in my game right now, and just need to keep that up, and play my style of game.”

Specials teams also clearly factored into Friday’s game, with the Huskies striking 3 times with the man advantage, and the Navs once.

In a sign of the tight battle, both coaches expressed their satisfaction with their respective teams.  In a post-game interview, Peace River’s Darcy Haugan said he thought the game was well played on both sides, great entertainment for the fans, and an “excellent showcase of the league as a whole,”

While the Navigators remain in a dog-fight for playoff position, the Huskies have now clinched second place in the NWJHL standings.  The win gives the Huskies 3 wins in the 5 game season series against Peace River, though another playoff matchup between the teams is still possible.

Fort St. John will look to continue their strong play as they head to Slave Lake for games Saturday and Sunday.  Catch both games live on Moose FM, starting at 8 o’clock on Saturday, and Sunday at 2.

Huskies complete winning weekend

Huskies complete winning weekend

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Huskies bite Wolves

Huskies bite Wolves

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Huskies send Wheelers a message

Huskies send Wheelers a message

Friday, January 29, 2010

The Grande Prairie Wheelers have been quietly sneaking up on Fort St. John in the race for second place in the NWJHL.

But on Friday night, the Huskies made a loud statement with a dominant win over Grande Prairie.

The Huskies struck four times in the first five minutes of the game, chasing Wheelers starter Tyler Vant Erve from the net.  Fort St. John added four more in the second, ending up with a 9-2 win.

The Huskies top two lines looked very impressive all night long, cycling the puck well both on the powerplay and five-on-five, and creating all kinds of scoring chances.  Showing their depth, the pups also got two goals from their third line (Luke McInerney) and two goals from defencemen (Tyson Pederson, Jesse Disher).

The Huskies got goals on the night from Kole Norris, Tyson Pederson, Luke McInerney (2), Robbie Sidhu, Dylan Apsassin, Cody Hildebrand, Jesse Disher, and Cody Kalb.  Responding for Grande Prairie were Cory Littman and Patrick Pearson. 

Garrett Muir earned the win in goal, making several strong saves, particularly in the second period, to maintain Fort St. John's stranglehold on the flow of the game. 

 "We looked at it as a playoff game" said Huskies Coach Bob Kalb after the game.  "Not a must win, in once sense, but it really puts us in a good position to cinch-down second place."

Cody Hildebrand registered a 'Gordie Howe Hat-trick' with a goal, two assists, and one of five third period fights.  "We played good the whole 60 minutes" he said after the game, admitting the game lacked intensity in the third period, but indicating that the Wheelers had pretty-much given up.

The Huskies still have a pair of home games remaining this weekend, as they host the Slave Lake Wolves on Saturday night at 8 o'clock, and Sunday afternoon at 2.  "We just need to make sure we don't take them easy" Cody Hildebrand said of the games against Slave Lake.  "AS long as we play our game, just like we did tonight, we'll have no problem at all."

Huskies lose nailbiter in Peace River

Huskies lose nailbiter in Peace River

Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Huskies engaged in another epic battle in Peace River on Saturday, coming out on the short end of an overtime thriller.

Steven Fast scored the only two goals of the first period, first redirecting a Kole Norris pass into the top shelf, and then deflecting a Tyson Pederson shot, after a great pinch from Payden Wongstedt to keep the play alive.

The Navigators scored the only goal of the second period, when Brendan Dickson shoveled a Kurt Konopelka centring pass past Ty Gullickson, for a powerplay goal.

The Huskies extended their lead to 3-1 early in the third, when Cody Kalb scored his own powerplay goal, firing past Cole Roberts, on a nice cross-seam pass from Wongstedt.

But, after doing a much better job of protecting the lead than they had done on Friday night in Dawson Creek, the Huskies finally succumbed to the Peace River attack.  With 1:27 remaining in the third period, new Navigator addition Sean Menton got the Navs within one.  Then, with 26 seconds remaining, the Navs tied it up, on a goal from Corson Fairless.

With all the momentum in Peace River’s favour, the game went into 4-on-4 overtime.   Early in the extra frame, Kole Norris was charged with a tripping penalty.  The Huskies killed off the 4-on-3 advantage, but shortly thereafter, Sean Menton found the puck on his stick in the slot, and fired it into the top corner, giving the Navigators a dramatic win.

Despite the tough loss, the Huskies coaching staff suggested that their team had played well, with the exception of the final two minutes of regulation.  “Our effort was definitely better tonight” said Assistant Coach Jeremy Clothier.  “We playing more of a complete game tonight, we just had a few meltdowns in the third period, but it happens.”  

Clothier also pointed out how much Peace River had improved since earlier in the season.  “They have good coaching.   They’re real good defensively … they don’t give you a lot, and they’ve brought in a few players” Clothier said, pointing to Sean Menton as a key addition, adding some offensive firepower to a typically defensive-minded team.  

“Our D-men pinched up a few times when they shouldn’t have” Clothier said of the late Peace River comeback.   “When you’re up two goals you’ve just got to play smart … we did get pucks in deep tonight, which is an improvement over last night, but we still have a little work to do on that.”

Click here to listen to a highlights package from Saturday’s game.

The Huskies return to home ice next weekend, for a set of games.  On Friday, the pups host Grande Prairie, before taking on the Slave Lake Wolves on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Huskies hold on for victory in D.C.

Huskies hold on for victory in D.C.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The Huskies took advantage of an inconsistent night from the Junior Canucks, in a 5-4 win in Dawson Creek.

Kole Norris opened the scoring for Fort St. John, when he walked out from the right corner and shelved the puck over Tyson York four minutes into the game.  Halfway through the first period, Dawson Creek got a powerplay goal, when a Colter MacLean effort appeared to go in off the skate of Brandon Juell.

But, after an outstanding first ten minutes, the Jr. Canucks allowed three straight goals in the final four minutes of the first, scored by Cody Hildebrand, Robbie Sidhu, and Owen MacKinnon.

The teams exchanged goals in the second, with Hildebrand scoring his second of the game, when the puck trickled out of York's equipment and over the goal line.  Jason Higson responded for Dawson Creek, when he batted in a rebound right at the height of the crossbar.

The Huskies had plenty of chances in the third period to ice the game, including a couple of breakaways, and a penalty shot for Sidhu, but they couldn't capitalize, and the Jr. Canucks hung around.

With five minutes remaining, Trevor Dahlin scored to get Dawswon Creek within two.  But, a big penalty kill from the Huskies (including about 1:30 of 5-on-3) seemed to deny the best chance the Jr. Canucks had to climb back in the game.

With ten seconds remaining, Jason Higson scored to narrow the gap to 5-4, but Dawson Creek couldn't get the equalizer, and the Huskies escaped with a victory.

Garrett Muir earned the win in goal, making several outstanding saves in the third period to preserve the lead.

Click here to listen to a highlights package from Friday's game.

The Huskies head to Peace River on Saturday, for a matchup with the Navigators.  Catch the action live on Moose FM, with the puck drop scheduled for 8 o'clock.

Huskies hit the road

Huskies hit the road

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Huskies head out on the road this weekend, looking to maintain their grasp on second place in the NWJHL standings.

After earning a point in a 4-3 shootout loss to the unbeaten Whitecourt Wolverines on Thursday, the Grande Prairie Wheelers now sit just 3 points back of Fort St. John, though they have played two more games.

The Huskies are coming off a 5-3 win over the Jr. Canucks one week ago, though on Friday they play in Dawson Creek, where they have struggled this season.  On Nov. 18th, the Huskies eked out a 2-1 win over the Jr. Canucks, in a fairly lacklustre performance.  On December 11th, the pups came out flat-footed, and never recovered from a poor first period, losing by a final score of 4-2.

The Jr. Canucks, meanwhile, have been improving with every passing game, and after a terrible start, have become a contender again.  The Canucks have climbed up to fourth place in the NWJHL standings, and desperately need points to stay ahead of Beaverlodge and Sexsmith, who both sit one point back.

On Saturday, the Huskies head on to Peace River.   It's another great rivarly, particularly after an exciting 7-game series between the two in the league semi-finals last season.   The Navigators haven't been their usual selves this season, though they have added a few key players, including goalie Pat Murray, as they look to become more competitive in advance of the Alberta Jr. 'B' Championships in Peace River March 31 - April 3.

Catch both of this weekend's games live on Moose FM, with the puck drop scheduled for 8 o'clock both nights.

East leaves it late in dramatic All-star finish

East leaves it late in dramatic All-star finish

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Saturday's NWJHL All-star game was so entertaining, they decided to extend it.  Trailing 5-0 heading into the third period, the Eastern All-stars mounted a late comeback, before winning it in overtime.

In a fast-paced and at-times physical contest, the Western All-stars got the best of the first period, making good on their speedy counter-attack, to beat former Huskies goaltender Zack Blain three times.  They got to Grande Prairie's Kris Dika twice in the third, and seemed to be on cruise control, heading into the third period with a 5-0 lead.

But, led by Wheeler Cory Littman, the East got hungry in the third period, beating Dawson Creek's Cody Garnett six times, before he pulled himself, sending hometown favourite Justin Jarvis back into the game.  Jarvis had been excellent in the first, but Whitecourt's league-leading scorer Kjell Reid found a hole in four-on-four overtime, giving the East a 7-6 win. 

Huskies forwards Cody Hildebrand and Robbie Sidhu both found the back of the net on Saturday, while Luke McInerney, Cody Kalb, and Kyle Porter all registered assists.  The West also got goals from Vipers Nolan Trudeau and Luke Heiken, Jr. Canuck John-Wayne Howes, and Blade Aaron Dumas. 

Fort St. John goalie Ty Gullickson held the fort in the second period, stopping all eight shots he faced, and making a sensational post-to-post save in the final minute.  

Cory Littman led the way for the East, posting two goals and an assist, while Wheelers Kyle Weegar, Keith Comeau, and Nathan Johnson, Wolf Colter Tkach, and Wolverine Kjell Reid also found the back of the net. 

The Huskies return to the regular season with two road games next weekend.  On Friday, the pups visit Dawson Creek, before they head to Peace River on Saturday.  Catch both games live on Moose FM, starting at 7:45.

Huskies come through against Jr. Canucks

Huskies come through against Jr. Canucks

Friday, January 15, 2010

Huskies 'guarantee' a win over Jr. Canucks

Huskies 'guarantee' a win over Jr. Canucks

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Huskies are guaranteeing a win when they host their arch-rival Dawson Creek on Friday night.

After winning the first two meetings of the season, the Huskies lost 4-2 in Dawson Creek on Dec. 11th, as the Jr. Canucks began to surge after a slow start to the season.  The Canucks are 7-1-1 in their past 9 games, and now sit in 4th place in the NWJHL standings.  The Huskies, on the other hand, lost their first game of 2010, falling 4-1 in Sexsmith on Jan. 9th.

Those trends suggest a win is anything but a sure thing - but the backer of the event doesn't seem to mind.

Gus McLeod is the owner of Fort St. John's KFC, and he'll be giving every fan in attendance a 'Yum Buck,' to be used on any KFC item, if the Huskies don't win on Friday.  McLeod is actually one of the founding members of the Junior Canucks organization, and has two nephews playing for Dawson Creek this year. 

But, McLeod is firmly behind the Huskies this year, and he doesn't seem worried about seeing the Huskies lose, even if the rink is jammed to the rafters.   "Hopefully we will have a sell-out" he says. Friday's game kicks off at 8 o'clock, at the North Peace Arena.

On Saturday, 8 Huskies will head to Sexsmith as part of Team West, for the annual NWJHL All-star Game and Skills Competition.  Catch the All-star game itself live on Moose FM at 6 p.m.

NWJHL All-star game on Moose FM

NWJHL All-star game on Moose FM

Monday, January 11, 2010

Eight Huskies will be part of Team West, when the NWJHL convenes for the All-star Game, on Saturday.

Forwards Cody Kalb, Robbie Sidhu, Cody Hildebrand, Luke McInerney, and Kyle Porter will join defencemen Payden Wongstedt and Linden Apsassin, as well as goaltender Ty Gullickson in this year's game and skills competition at the Sexsmith Arena.  Huskies Coach Bob Kalb will lead the Western team, against Whitecourt Coach Richard Kazda, who will lead team East.

We are pleased to announce this year's All-star Game will be broadcast on 100.1 Moose FM, and online at www.energeticcity.ca. 

Saturday's game starts at 6 p.m. MST, with a pre-game show 15 minutes beforehand. 

Stay tuned for full rosters, and more information.

Vipers beat Huskies to take season series

Vipers beat Huskies to take season series

Saturday, January 9, 2010

The Huskies just couldn't get their legs going, and lost 4-1 in Sexsmith on Saturday night. Sexsmith's top line of Ryan Gow, Brad Renner, and Nolan Trudeau had a goal each, with Brenden Deveaux adding the other.  Brighton Campbell provided the lone goal for Fort St. John. 

A night after losing 10-0 to Dawson Creek, the Vipers played a complete 60-minute game, while the Huskies struggled to find the intensity they had played with late in 2009.

"We just didn't work" said Coach Bob Kalb after the game.  "We didn't want it bad, and basically squandered two points."

The Vipers converted 2 of their 4 powerplays, while the Huskies went 0/6.   Justin Jarvis earned the win in goal, with Ty Gullickson suffering the loss for the Huskies.

Click here to listen to a highlights package from Saturday's game.

The Huskies next game is when they host the Dawson Creek Jr. Canucks on Friday (Jan. 15).  Friday's game is 'Guaranteed win night', when all fans will get a 'Yum Buck' (good for a $1 discount on any item at KFC) if the Huskies don't beat the Jr. Canucks.

On Saturday, eight Huskies will return to Sexsmith for the NWJHL All-star game.  Fort St. John's representatives will be forwards Cody Kalb, Robbie Sidhu, Cody Hildebrand, Luke McInerney, and Kyle Porter, defencemen Payden Wongstedt and Linden Apsassin, and goaltender Ty Gullickson.