All-Star game and La Crete loss make up busy weekend for the Huskies

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — To say it was a busy weekend at the North Peace Arena would be overstating the obvious, with the league All-Star game and a Sunday matinee versus a fierce rival.

The home of the Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) team, the Fort St. John Huskies, got the chance to host the best and brightest in the league, as the 2025-26 season’s All-Star Game and skills competition took place on November 29th.

Six Huskies were named to the roster for the Caliber Energy East/West division squad as well as head coach Todd Alexander. They faced the Energy Express North/South division.

Alexander joked to Energeticcity.ca that as a coach, “he just shows up, stands on the bench and tells people to change,” praising team general manager Jeremy Clothier and the team board for coordinating the event.

The game itself was preceded by an afternoon skills competition, in which entrants from the teams took part in events ranking fastest skating, hardest shot, shooting accuracy, agility and the breakaway challenge, where competitors try to best a goaltender one-on-one.

“Everything that went on that day was top notch,” said Alexander. “The skills competition went off really good. I think the players enjoyed it. There was a good vibe. And everybody was really enjoying themselves.

“It was a well-run event and went off without a hitch. Everybody was happy and a good hockey game to just put a little icing on the cake.”

The North/South division took the competition by a score of 4-1, with Huskies forward Ryan Ungstad the lone bright spot for the East/West team, winning the agility obstacle course.

During the evening, the East/West all-stars carried the bulk of the play early, but it was the North/South division who prevailed at the end of the game by a score of 8-6.

Dawson Creek Kodiaks forward Jarret Rogalsky and La Crete Lumber Barons forward Nolan Cardinal were named game MVPs.

On Sunday, the Huskies hosted the La Crete Lumber Barons. The teams played a pair of games in early October, with La Crete edging Fort St. John by identical 5-4 scores in Alberta.

The third meeting was a much different result on November 30th. The Lumber Barons, winners of 16 of their last 17 games, had a four-goal second period, taking the game over Fort St. John by a score of 6-1.

MacCoy Willms provided the only offence for the Pups, on a second-period goal assisted by Ungstad and Grayden Alexander.

Still, the head coach found positives in the play, especially holding La Crete to just 23 shots total in the contest.

“That’s the most potent offence in the league right now,” said Todd. “I thought that side of things we did a pretty good job. There were little details in our game that we were missing, that put [goaltender Evan [Baker] out on an island… 

“They were burying their opportunities, we were not. But overall, I enjoyed the [team’s] effort.”

The Huskies will next host the Dawson Creek Kodiaks on Wednesday, December 3rd at the North Peace Arena. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m.

More details about the Huskies is available on the team’s Instagram and Facebook pages or website.