麻豆社区

It didn鈥檛 take long for the Whitehorse Huskies to solve the mysterious Powell River Regals.

The Yukon鈥檚 senior AA hockey team buried six goals in the first period of their matchup Friday night, setting the tone for the two-game series.

Up 6-0 after one, the Huskies cruised to a 10-3 win Friday, and followed that offensive display with a much closer 7-3 victory Saturday.

The Huskies鈥� top line of Evan Campbell, Adam Henderson and Kane Dawe once again led the way, totalling 24 points between them in the series.

Henderson had five goals and five assists 鈥� sniping four in Friday鈥檚 game, Dawe had two goals and seven assists, and Campbell chipped in with two goals and four assists in the two games.

鈥淢e and Evan have always had chemistry somehow growing up all the way through minor hockey and junior,鈥� Dawe explained of his line鈥檚 success. 鈥淎nd then Henderson was a big addition to our line for sure.鈥�

Right from the get-go Friday, the Huskies controlled the action, with the majority of gameplay spent in the offensive zone.

Alongside Henderson鈥檚 four goals, Campbell, Dawe, Simon Nugent, Derek Klassen, Andrew Pettitt and Clayton Thomas all lit the lamp for the hosts in the opener.

Meanwhile, goaltender J.J. Gainsforth was sharp in net for the Huskies, allowing just three goals to Regals鈥� Austin McLaren, John Murgatroyd and Dan Swanson.

The 24-year-old Gainsforth was in net for both wins.

鈥淎ll you鈥檝e got to do is stay composed,鈥濃�圙ainsforth told the Star. 鈥淭he D corps took care of the front of the net and made the saves easy for me.鈥�

He admitted the fast pace of senior hockey takes some getting used to after years of rec league action, but said it鈥檚 worth it.

鈥淚t鈥檚 good to see the community get behind it a little bit,鈥� said Gainsforth. 鈥淚t鈥檚 awesome to see some more elite hockey in town. It gives the little guys something to look up to, and it feels really good to be a part of that.鈥�

Saturday鈥檚 game saw seven different Huskies scorers find the back of the net in what was a chippy affair.

Each of Henderson, Campbell, Pettitt, Dawe, Nugent, Mike Arnold and Rob Stuckey beat Regals goalie Ryan Fairgray in the win.

Andy Welsh (2) and Derek May responded for the shorthanded Regals, who lost two players to injury Friday.

Other than Friday鈥檚 first period, Welsh felt like the Regals logged a solid effort.

鈥淲e kind of got whitewashed in that first period,鈥� the 30-year-old explained. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just one of those things that happens in hockey. We don鈥檛 want to make excuses about the travel. We just came out flat, but I鈥坱hink after that, the next five periods were pretty close.鈥�

Welsh said the Huskies top trio of Campbell, Henderson and Dawe is phenomenal.

鈥淚 know those guys and they鈥檙e really skilled,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you give them chances, they just fill the net. ... We鈥檙e pretty familiar with some of their guys so we knew we鈥檇 be in for a battle.

鈥淐ompared to the team we played against five years ago at the AAA level, I think this team is better,鈥濃�圵elsh said of the Huskies.

Meanwhile, Huskies head coach Mike Tuton said he was happy with the way his team found holes in the Regals鈥� defence.

鈥淭he way these guys have started to gel and click together was very impressive,鈥� he said outside his team dressing room. 鈥淲e outskated them and I was real proud of them. I鈥檓 real proud of this group of guys.

鈥淲e can send out line after line and they just keep moving their legs. It鈥檚 a real treat to watch.鈥�

Despite their early success, the Huskies remain focused on the Coy Cup tournament, scheduled to take place in Fort Nelson,鈥圔.C., next month.

If they can get past the Fort St. John Flyers, the Huskies would battle the host Yeti and the winner of B.C.鈥檚 Central Interior Hockey League (CIHL).

The runner-up from the CIHL will face the Regals in a three-game playoff series to decide the fourth team in the senior hockey championship.

And while the Huskies continue to impress, Tuton believes the best is yet to come.

鈥淭here鈥檚 so many more little things that we can work on to be better,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know we鈥檝e got it in us to be better than what we were out there.鈥�

Tuton started Gainsforth in both games in an effort to solidify their last line of defence.

鈥淲e have to get on a roll,鈥� the coach said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just trying to find a guy to take the ball so we can get rolling. I felt J.J. was the guy to do that and he was. He made some spectacular saves and the boys responded to it.鈥�

Dawe was one of four Yukoners who played for the Fort Nelson Yeti at last year鈥檚 Coy Cup tournament.

鈥淭he boys are definitely pretty confident out there and I鈥坱hink we have a good shot at getting to the Coy Cup,鈥� added the 24-year-old who works as a Zamboni driver at the city rinks.

鈥淚 honestly feel like we have a really good shot at getting there and maybe even winning it.鈥�

NOTES: Ticket sales for the two games were estimated at 350 Friday and slightly more than 400 Saturday. ... Friday鈥檚 50/50 draw totalled $1,174, while Saturday鈥檚 winner took home $1,078. ... Rob Warner, who scored two goals in the Huskies鈥� 9-5 win Jan. 9, was out of town and missed the series. ... The Huskies next action is slated for Feb. 13 and 14, when they will host the Yellowknife Flyers. ... Powell River is located 170 kilometres northwest of Vancouver.