Huskies open NWJHL finals with consecutive losses

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – The Fort St. John Huskies have some work to do to climb back in the Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) after consecutive losses

Losses on March 15th and 16th in Alberta mean the Pups trail the defending champion La Crete Lumber Barons two games to none in the best of seven series.

Head coach Todd Alexander feels the team’s break awaiting their opponents led to the Huskies not being “battle tested” compared to the Lumber Barons.

“They definitely stepped their game up, and we didn’t match that intensity,” said Alexander. “Overall [there were] good lessons to be had.

“We’re in the series now, so there’s no excuses going forward. We’ll see what we can do at home on Friday.” 

Fort St. John fell behind early in game one before Ashton Underhill tied the game near the end of the first period with his fourth goal of the playoffs.

It stayed deadlocked until the third, when La Crete scored two goals to put them ahead to stay, winning game one by a score of 4-3. Colby Busche had a shorthanded goal and Ryan Ungstad also scored in the loss. 

In game two on Sunday afternoon, La Crete jumped ahead by a score of 4-0 before Ungstad scored his sixth goal of the playoffs, assisted by MacCoy Willms and Underhill.

Underhill and captain Grayden Alexander had goals in the third, but La Crete won by a score of 5-3. Goaltender Ethan Fechter had 38 saves for the Huskies in the loss.

Fort St. John now hosts the next three games at the North Peace Arena, starting with game three on Friday, March 21st at 7:00 p.m.

“There’s always good and great players during the regular season, but there’s only very few in the playoffs,” said Alexander. “[It’s] a challenge that the boys need to rise to, and I think that we’re looking forward to seeing what they can do at home.”

More information about the NWJHL finals is available on the league’s website.