JDHS ferocious in state hockey elimination game win
- Klas Stolpe
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Crimson Bears defeat Kodiak Bears 3-1 and advance to Saturday's 4th place game
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears outbattled the Kodiak Bears 3-1 in a consolation semifinal at the 2026 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska D2 Hockey State championships at the MTA Events Center in Palmer on Friday.
"It was nice getting a 'W' and surviving to play another day," JDHS coach Matt Boline said.
The Crimson Bears had fallen to the Soldotna Stars 2-1 in double overtime to open the state tournament on Thursday.
"Resilency," Boline said of Friday's key. "Playing through failures is what makes you better. Kids need to have failure to be stronger. As long as they can learn from those failures they will get stronger every time."
It took a period and four minutes of play before the Crimson Bears broke through the den mouth of Kodiak senior goalie Simon Lonheim in the second stanza. JDHS senior Nolan Cruz ripped a shot that was kicked out by Lonheim, but JDHS junior Caden Morris slapped the rebound off Lonheim’s chest protector and through the pipes for the 1-0 advantage.
"I think the key was our hard forecheck and having a forward up high," Cruz said. "They had a hard time breaking out when we had a high forward and that was how Caden was able to score."
A minute later an interference penalty on JDHS senior Paxton Mertl gave Kodiak a brief power play. But Bears’ junior Kevin Foster was called for tripping and the sides skated four on four until JDHS earned 23 seconds of a power play.
JDHS senior Elliot Welch, sophomore Ryker Nelson and senior Elias Schane all had good looks during the penalty, but shots were covered or went wide.
Kodiak’s best chance in the period came with four minutes remaining as junior Collin Gibbs stole a puck and blasted a shot that JDHS junior goalie Jed Davis kicked out. Davis also played away a following rebound shot.
"I think the key was everyone playing their position," JDHS' Davis said of the win. "People were where they needed to be when they needed to be there. Our forecheck was strong and we outshot them two to one. I am very proud of the teams comeback after yesterday’s loss."
JDHS senior Zach Prather put a shot on Kodiak’s goal with 1:36 left that was covered for a faceoff.
Kodiak junior Boaz Basamania had a breakaway shot that JDHS’ Davis kick saved and the rebound was covered by senior Isaac Phelps. But a slashing penalty was called against Crimson Bears freshman Manu Adams for a Kodiak power play.
"Kodiak is a great team and besting any team three times is not easy," JDHS' Phelps said. JDHS had beaten Kodiak at Treadwell Arena on Jan. 19 and 20 by respective scores 4-3 and 3-1. "Proud of our team for giving us one more game to play this year. We did good on our forecheck and keeping the puck in their end most of the game. But we are not done yet. We have still got one more game to play."
JDHS responded with a short-handed goal by Mertl. Welch tucked the puck away at center ice and passed to Mertl ahead of foes, and he hit in the five hole of Kodiak’s Lonheim for a 2-0 Crimson Bears lead with 1:02 remaining and control of the match.
JDHS would pepper the Kodiak goal in the third period with shots by Adams, Miller, Welch, Mertl, Nelson, junior Drew Cadigan-McAdoo and freshman Paxton Willoughby, and strong play by Morris, Schane, junior Bryden Roberts, junior Tricen Headings, and sophomore Summit Bos among others.
Kodiak scored its first goal of the tournament with 5:39 left to play in the game. Bears freshman Tanner Bunch scored off an assist by Gibbs to trail 2-1 for brief life in the match.
JDHS responded a minute later as Kodiak possession was lost at center ice, and Cadigan-McAdoo followed up touches by Mertl and Headings for the 3-1 final.
“The game was good,” JDHS captain Welch said. “The team played well and stayed focused. We kept the pressure on for most of the game. Getting our second goal by Paxton (Mertl) was definitely a key moment. As well as Drew’s (Cadigan-McAdoo) goal in the third period right after Kodiak scored, and that gave us momentum again.”
The teams skated to a 0-0 first period battle with 11 JDHS shots on Kodiak goalie Lonheim and the Crimson Bears’ Davis stopping seven Bears shots. Just one penalty was called in the first 15 minutes and that was tripping whistled on JDHS’ Adams.
JDHS’ Davis would stop 17 shots in the game, Kodiak’s Lonheim 43.
JDHS advances to play in Saturday’s fourth/sixth place game against #7 Delta, a 5-4 winner over #6 Monroe in the second consolation semifinal.
In other Friday action #1 North Pole played #4 Soldotna in a winners semifinal; and #2 Palmer played #3 Houston in the second winners semifinal (scores will be updated when available).
Saturday’s 4th/6th place game is at noon, the 3rd/5th place game at 2:30 p.m., and the DII state championship game is at 5 p.m.
Thursday scores:
Friday scores:
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
