The Kenai River Brown Bears defeated the Odessa (Texas) Jackalopes 3-0 on Friday at the North American Hockey League Showcase in Minnesota.
The Brown Bears improve to 3-1-0-0, while the Jackalopes fall to 1-2-0-0.
Wednesday, in a loss to the Oklahoma Warriors, the Bears and goalie Peter Wickstrom Stumer took a 3-0 lead after the first period only to lose 4-3.
Friday, Kenai River had a 2-0 lead just 2 minutes, 43 seconds, into the game on goals by Dylan Contreras and Jackson Ebbott, assisted by Joe Manning and Carter McCormick.
“When we recruit, it is to play super fast,” Kenai River head coach Taylor Shaw said. “I thought we were able to do that, especially early on right away in the game.”
Wickstrom Stumer would not give up the lead this time, stopping all 25 shots for a shutout. Quentin Sigurdson saved 35 for Odessa.
“I thought, overall, the group did a great job closing it out,” Shaw said. “I thought Peter was great tonight in net.”
The coach said Wickstrom Stumer got a taste of NAHL action Wednesday, then stepped up his game with some big saves Friday.
Carson Triggs, assisted by Andy Larson, added a second-period goal for the Bears.
“It’s 16 goals in four games,” Shaw said of his squad. “That’s a good start. The key is we’re going to have to maintain it for long stretches.”
Shaw said his team definitely showed signs of fatigue playing a third game in three days, but managed the puck well enough to preserve the shutout.
The Bears finish up play at the Showcase on Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. AKDT game against the Rochester (Minnesota) Jr. Americans.
