Kenai, Alaska – The Springfield Jr. Blues split the weekend series with the Kenai River Brown Bears picking up two important points as well as snapping a five game winless streak. Springfield remains in 5th place in the division with a 6-8-2-1 record.
Friday, November 2: Jr. Blues 1 – Brown Bears 2
Goal: Spencer DenBeste (Brandon Puricelli, Nikita Kozyrev)
The opening round of the weekend series went the Brown Bears way as an early lead by the Jr. Blues fell apart in the 3rd period on a shorthanded goal by the home team. Despite numerous chances and opportunities, DenBeste’s tally in the 1st period was the only offense the Jr. Blues were able to get through Gavin Enright. Caleb Hannon took the loss on the evening stopping 23 of 25 shots.
Saturday, November 3: Jr. Blues 6 – Brown Bears 1
Goals: Brandon Puricelli (Jonathan Panisa, Nigel Nelson); Ben Schmidling (David Schmidling, Jayden Jensen); Caden Villegas (Giovanni Carabelli, Ryan Murray); Nick Techel (Artjoms Lapiks, Kyle Gudme); Max Brainin (Nikita Kozyrev, Davis Browning); Cade Groton (Max Osborne, Sam Sterne)
After not winning in five straight, the boys in blue rebounded in a statement win against the Brown Bears on Saturday night. Three first period goals set the tone for the rest of the evening as Jack Williams made sure the game would never be too close. Six goals by six different players and at the end of the evening every skater on the team had at least one point.
Tempers flared in Saturday’s matchup as 137 penalty minutes were assessed in the 3rd period alone. Springfield finished 3/7 on the power play and added a shorthanded goal as well.
The Jr. Blues will stay in the state of Alaska this week as they prepare to take on the Fairbanks Ice Dogs this Friday and Saturday in Fairbanks. It’ll be the first meeting of the season between the two clubs with divisional implications on the line.
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