Huskies ride three-game winning streak in weekend contests sweep

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Huskies rode home dates at the North Peace Arena to a three-game winning streak.

The team took both  of their Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) dates this weekend. The Huskies home schedule began last Wednesday, with a win over the North Peace Navigators. 

Following victories over the Sexsmith Vipers and the Beaverlodge Blades on October 10th and 11th, the Pups now lead the Navigators by two points in the NWJHL’s east/west division.

Head coach Todd Alexander said last Wednesday he was searching for a “60-minute game” from his club, and certainly saw it Friday night in an away game in Sexsmith, Alberta.

The Huskies had a season-high 54 shots on net in dispatching the Sexsmith Vipers by a score of 5-0. Huskies goaltender Evan Baker made 22 stops for his first shutout of the season.

“We definitely were executing at a high level,” said Alexander. “The puck movement was good,

the forecheck was good. We played in behind the forecheck lots, which is what we are looking for.

“You have got to continue to be a team that’s dominant on the forecheck. It was good to watch. [The] penalty kill was solid again, the same thing with a lot of the five-on-five play and the goaltending to top it off.”

Huskies forward Xavier Burgher had his ninth and 10th goals of the year, putting him in the top three for that category in the NWJHL. 

Other goal scorers included Fin Reed, Grayden Alexander and Parker Gamble, who scored his first goal as a member of the Huskies.

Alexander said Gamble is a “long right-handed” defenceman: “He’s a good passer. When he does shoot the puck in the offensive zone, he puts it in a manageable area for guys to tip it if we need to, and if it hits the net, it is in a good spot.”

The following evening, the Huskies were back at home in a game against the Beaverlodge Blades, a team who edged Fort St. John back in late September.

A close 1-1 game heading into the third period was erased by three Huskies’ goals in the final frame, as the Pups prevailed by a score of 4-2.

Carver Lequiere had two goals, and newcomer Bevin Williams chipped in with a goal and an assist. 

A 19-year-old forward from Prince George, Williams already has two goals and eight assists for 10 points in the young season.

“[Williams] is picking up a lot of the systematics we do [quickly]. It’s seamless with him,” said Alexander. “He’s been coming along really well. He’s been a strong winger for us out of the gate so far.”

The Huskies will next be in action on Friday, October 17th against the Dawson Creek Kodiaks at the Ovintiv Events Centre, before heading back to play the Fairview Flyers at home on Saturday, October 18th at the North Peace Arena.

Game time for both games is scheduled for 8 p.m. Details about the Huskies are available at the team’s Facebook or Instagram pages and website.