JDHS hockey boys return to the ice with pucks blazing
- Klas Stolpe
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Crimson Bears dent the Delta Junction pipes in 4-2 win
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears hockey team returned to season play Thursday after the holiday break and cancellations caused by weather to defeat Delta Junction 4-2 on the Huskies’ home ice at Liewer-Olmstead Ice Arena.
JDHS peppered the Delta goal with 52 shots to avenge a 9-8 overtime loss to the Huskies at Houston’s Big Lake Lions Classic on Dec. 13. That was the Crimson Bears’ last game due to cancelled contests against Kodiak and Homer.
"The team loved being back on the ice," JDHS senior captain Elliot Welch said. "It has been a month since we last played a game and it is about time. The team had a slow start to the game, but we turned it around and got better, faster and stronger the next two periods. Other than that, it was a good first game since winter break and to a long week ahead."
Crimson Bears sophomore Ryker Nelson scored the game’s first goal at 13:30 in the first period, assisted by classmate Summit Bos.
Huskies senior Brady Bevard tied the game unassisted at 1-1 with eight minutes left in the first stanza.
JDHS senior Paxton Mertl scored at 10:27 of the second period, assisted by Nelson, for a 2-1 lead. Delta tied the game at 2-2 on a shot by senior Gavin Smith, assisted by sophomore Asher Misquez, with five minutes left in the period. JDHS’ Bos scored with under a minute remaining, assisted by Nelson, for a 3-2 lead.
Crimson Bears senior Nolan Cruz iced the game in the third period with under 10 seconds left, assisted by junior Caden Morris, for the 4-2 win.
"It took a little more than a period to find our groove," JDHS coach Matt Boline said. "Once we did the puck stayed in the Huskies’ end most of the game. The strong forechecking of leaders like Nola Cruz, Emerson Newell, and Tricen Headings coupled with defensive stalwarts like Elliot Welch was exactly what we needed."
Delta only put 14 shots against JDHS sophomore goalie Jed Davis as the Crimson Bears cemented their team defensive motto of “forecheck, back check, paycheck,” meaning they were working hard attacking with the puck and defending hard as they came back into their own zone. The hard checking results in a payoff on the scoreboard.
"We definitely felt a little rusty in the first couple periods," Davis said. "We were still shaking off some dust. But by the end of the game our forechecking was solid and we were completing our passes, which made my job easy. The team certainly has the mentality to improve every game so all we need to do is execute."
The two sides face off again at 10 a.m. Friday.
"Having not played in a month was definitely an unexpected hurdle to the season," coach Boline said. "It felt a bit like 2020 for a little bit but the kids - after having dealt with that - they are ready for anything and they just rolled with it. Lots of practice time and playing against each other too much. Things were a little rusty at first but they stuck with it and persevered."
JDHS improves to 5-5 on the season and is 4-2 in the DII Northern Lights Conference as they look to improve on last season’s third-place finish in the ASAA DII Hockey State Championships.
Delta (4-10-1 overall) is in the DII Aurora Conference (1-3) and placed sixth at last year’s ASAA DII championships.
Common opponents this season have included Wasilla (JDHS lost 8-0, DJHS lost 7-2) and Kenai (JDHS won 4-2 and 8-2, DJHS tied 4-4). DJHS lost to Kodiak 5-1 and JDHS will finish their season with a home series against Kodiak on Sunday and Monday.
Sunday at 6 p.m. will be the JDHS senior night honors with the game following. Monday’s game will be at 8 p.m.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
