‘So nice to be back:’ Huskies win home game versus Navigators

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Huskies got back to their winning ways before a sizable crowd on Wednesday evening at the North Peace Arena.

After a seven-game road trip, the Huskies returned for a Strike Group North West Junior Hockey League (NWJHL) mid-week affair versus the North Peace Navigators – who took Fort St. John in their last encounter – clinching the victory with a score of 5-2.

The end of the long road trip – and playing in more friendly confines – was a relief for Huskies head coach Todd Alexander, who told Energeticcity.ca heading away from home during the opening month of the NWJHL season was getting “a little bit old.”

“It was good to be home for a change,” said Alexander. “Every weekend, you gotta get up and pack up and head out. So nice to be back for sure.”

“Good crowd tonight, especially for a Wednesday night. We are [still] hunting for a 60 minute game from this club. It was a bit of a slow start tonight, but I definitely like[d] the finish.”

After downing the Huskies in their previous encounter on September 27th, the Navigators continued to have success against Fort St. John early in the game.

North Peace forward Noah Simon scored his eighth goal of the season, slipping it past Huskies goaltender Evan Baker near the end of the first period to give the visitors the lead.

The Navigators doubled their lead early in the second period before the Huskies – led by Taryn Hoskyn’s fourth goal of the year on a penalty kill  – roared back.

Two goals from Ryan Bookham – with the second shorthanded – put Fort St. John on top to stay. Third period goals came from Grayden Alexander and Ryan Ungstad, who scored an empty netter.

“The first [goal] caught me by surprise [when I saw] it go in,” said Bookham. “The second one there I looked up and saw [Ryan] Ungstad is ripping up the ice. I decided I’m going with him.  I [went] with him and [scored another] one and started winning.”

Bookham added he was “super excited” to play at home, and was at the arena “ready to go” long before his teammates.

While outshooting their opposition 30-14 on the evening was positive, the Huskies couldn’t stay out of the penalty box, giving the Navigators seven power play opportunities.

Combined with their two games versus the La Crete Lumber Barons, the Huskies have given up 19 power play opportunities in their last three contests, something Todd Alexander is keen on changing.

“We [need] make some better choices here or some playing time is going to have to come down,” said Alexander. “We are continuing to make the same mistakes. [We have got] to make the adjustments that we’ve talked about….we’re at the end of the rope.”

Still, he was satisfied with the win and praised Bookham, who missed three games early in the season before re-joining the club, saying he’s been fighting an “uphill battle.”

“[He was] just trying to catch up with the rest of the group,” said Alexander. “That is the player that we were hoping that we were going to get this year, the guy you saw tonight. It was nice to see.”

The Huskies will head to Sexsmith on Friday, October 10th to face off against the Sexsmith Vipers before returning home to a game on Saturday, October 11th against the Beaverlodge Blades at the North Peace Arena.

Game time is scheduled for 8 p.m. both nights.