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TAKE A SEAT – Whitehorse Huskies blue-liner Gibson Pearson, left, gets rocked by Terrace River Kings forward Ben Reinbolt during Coy Cup action in Terrace last night. No penalty was called on the play. Photo by JOSH SCHROEDER
Fuelled by a boisterous home crowd, the host Terrace River Kings downed the Whitehorse Huskies 6-3 in Coy Cup action last night.
By MARCEL VANDER WIER Star Sports Editor
With the loss, the Huskies fell to 1-1 ahead of their final round-robin game this afternoon versus the Fort St. John Flyers.
Regardless of the outcome of today’s games, the Huskies have wrapped up at least a semifinal berth at the provincial senior AA championship, thanks to their first win over the Smithers Steelheads (0-2).
The Huskies and Flyers (1-0-1) will square off at 4 p.m. today, before the River Kings (1-0-1) square off with the last-place Steelheads at 7 p.m.
JJ Gainsforth will be back between the pipes this afternoon after getting a day’s reprieve in favour of Brad Gustafson.
Despite a strong start that saw Derek Klassen bury a rebound less than a minute into last night’s game, the Huskies were undone as Terrace repeatedly cashed in on their opportunities. Additionally, Terrace goalie Jared Rathjen was brilliant.
Six different scorers tallied for Terrace in the win, including Tristan Murray, Josh Murray, Colten Braid, Cory Dekelver, Chapen Leblond and Jordan Peddle.
Rob Warner and Kevin Petovello added singles for the Huskies, with Ted Stephens assisting on all three goals.
The game was a physical one, with the Huskies incurring several blows, including one heavy bodycheck on Daniel Cletheroe that saw the winger’s stick snap in two.
While the Huskies dominated the game early, the team was unable to cash in – ultimately handing the momentum to the embattled hosts who built up a 4-1 lead midway through the second frame.
“We thought we played pretty well,” captain Evan Campbell told the Star today.
“Everybody worked hard and was battling out there. There wasn’t a lack of effort by any means.
“They got a couple bounces and were very opportunistic. We’d have the puck in their end for a full minute, and then they’d come down on an odd-man rush ... and capitalize.
“We were sustaining the pressure for quite a while, but no team in the world is going to sustain pressure for 60 minutes.”
The Flyers swept their playoff series with the Huskies last year before going on to win the Coy Cup, and Campbell said their rivals have since added some new faces.
So have the Huskies, however, including their entire second line of Klassen, Petovello and Stephens.
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