The visiting Kenai River Brown Bears defeated the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel 5-3 on Friday in North American Hockey League play to snap a two-game losing streak.
The Bears, winners of four of their last six, are tied for sixth place with the Steel in the Midwest Division. Kenai River is 12-15-1-2, good for 27 points, while the Steel are 12-14-1-2.
The Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues currently hold the fourth and final playoff spot in the division with 32 points.
Last weekend, the Bears had lost 7-4 and 6-1 to the Minnesota Wilderness.
“I don’t think any of them were happy with last weekend,” Kenai River head coach Taylor Shaw said. “I think it’s part of the ebbs and flows of the year.
“I thought they felt like they had something to prove, and they took advantage of the opportunity.”
In the first period, Camden Davis had a power-play goal for the Steel and Joseph Yoon, assisted by Joel Hanson and Riley Mullen, scored for the Bears.
In the second period, Samuel Sisik, assisted by Austin Petersen and Greye Rampton, and Brady Engelkes, assisted by Luke Hause and Rampton, scored for the Bears, while Patrick Vogl scored for the Steel.
In the first 10 minutes of the third period, Sisik and Engelkes scored again and the Bears led 5-2. Sisik’s goal was assisted by Thomas Gunderson and Rampton, while Engelkes’ goal was assisted by Mullen and Andy Larson.
“Those were the two we got off a trade last year at the deadline, and the first games that they played with us a year ago were against Chippewa in Chippewa,” Shaw said of Sisik and Engelkes. “So a good taste for them to be able to have some success tonight.”
Both the scores for Engelkes were on the power play. He has eight goals in his last 11 games.
Jackson Lackas scored late for the Steel.
Mitchell Mccusker had 33 saves for the Bears, while Carter Wishart stopped 25 for the Steel.
The two-game series with the Steel concludes Saturday at 4 p.m. AKST. The Bears then take a holiday break.
Shaw said it’s important not to go on the break too soon.
“The boys are still bought in,” he said. “It was an important game tonight, and tomorrow night, it’s going to be even more important.”
Shaw said new acquistion Sam Anderson made a successful debut for the Bears. Anderson, 17, is a 6-foot-3, 196-pound forward from Mequon, Wisconsin.
