‘Never a perfect map’: Huskies win both playoff contests with chance to wrap up semi-final in game five

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Huskies playoff series has taken a seismic shift all within a week.

The Pups’ Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) east/west division final series against the North Peace Navigators could conclude on Tuesday, March 3rd with a Huskies’ win at home.

The Huskies got some timely goals and solid work in net in sweeping both games three and four versus the Navigators at the Baytex Energy Centre in Peace River, Alberta.

Huskies head coach Todd Alexander told Energeticcity.ca that he knows despite the victories, the Navigators will come into the North Peace Arena looking to extend their season.

“The whole series, [North Peace] played us tough,” said Alexander. “They have played us physical. They’ve got a great coach [Jody Menssa], so he’s going to prepare them to be ready to go.

“But, we do not worry about that. We are concerned about ourselves, finding our own game and making sure we are in the right place.”

On Saturday, February 28th, the Huskies got a natural hat-trick from Ryan Ungstad in the game’s opening minutes before the Navigators scored the first two of four unanswered goals.

Trailing 4-3 in the third period, Ryan Bookham tied the game for the Huskies before teammate MacCoy Willms got the winner in the game’s last five minutes, and Fort St. John held on by a score of 5-4.

Alexander described the up-and-down flow of the game’s outcome, saying hockey is “never a perfect map.”

“We were putting ourselves in a good position to be in the driver’s seat to carry on in that game,” said Alexander. “But, [North Peace] does not have any quit. 

“We scored three straight and then allowed four straight and then scored two straight. At the end of the day, what you are finding out about our group is there is no quit on our side. We do not let things get to us.”

Game four took place on Sunday afternoon, March 1st, in what Alexander described as the Huskies’ best post-season contest of all playoffs.

Three first and second period goals by six different Huskies carried the team to a dominating 6-1 victory. 

Goals came from Ungstad, Sam Loewen, Taryn Hoskyn, Jordan LaGreca, Xavier Burgher and  Kalen Flodell.

Fort St. John could wrap up the series on Tuesday, March 3rd in game five at the North Peace Arena. Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m.

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