Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie (arm raised) celebrates his first-period goal Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, against the Maine Nordiques at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Brandon Lajoie (arm raised) celebrates his first-period goal Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, against the Maine Nordiques at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nordiques sweep Brown Bears

The Maine Nordiques swept the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday and Saturday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex to extend Kenai River’s North American Hockey League losing streak to seven games.

The Bears drop to 22-13-2-3, good for 48 points and second place in the Midwest Division. The Fairbanks Ice Dogs lead with 59 points, while Chippewa is in third with 42 points.

Maine improves to 17-22-2-0 and is in fifth place in the East Division.

Isaiah Fox and the Maine Nordiques started slow Friday and got better and better throughout the game.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

Fox scored the game-winner with 3 minutes, 11 seconds, left in the five-minute overtime period to give the Nordiques a 2-1 victory.

Despite the result, Kenai River head coach Kevin Murdock said Friday was a step forward for his team after two tough weekends on the road after the holiday break.

“Especially for the first half of the game, I thought we played pretty well,” Murdock said. “We did a good job generating chances and getting back to the way we’re capable of playing.”

Maine goalie Wesley Mankowski did an equally good job stopping those chances. Mankowski was picked up from the Minnesota Magicians after the Nordiques lost a goalie to the United States Hockey League.

“He’s been a calming presence back there,” Nordiques head coach Nolan Howe said.

Mankowski stopped 35 of 36, with the exception being a goal by Eagle River’s Brandon Lajoie, assisted by Peter Morgan, near the close of the first period.

Maine would equalize in the middle of the second when Ignat Belov threw a bad-angle shot at the net and it bounced off traffic and into the net.

“The effort was there, but at the end of the day, we’re not getting the bounces we were in the first half when we were winning,” Murdock said.

In the third period, Murdock said his team got a little tired and the Nordiques took advantage, outshooting the Bears 13-7 in the frame.

“Our best period was the third period,” Howe said. “We got better and better as the game went on.”

Howe gave credit to Kenai River goalie Danny Fraga, who stopped 41 of 43, for getting the Bears to overtime.

There, Fox decided things by crashing the net from the side with a defender draped on his back, executing a wraparound to end the game.

“He’s a guy that does what it takes to win hockey games, whether that’s scoring, fighting or back-checking,” Howe said, adding that Fox kept battling after getting off to a slow start in the first period.

Howe also spoke highly of the hospitality provided by the Bears.

“For us to play in Alaska is an honor,” he said. “The people here have been great and it was a fun crowd. That makes it a great experience for these young men.”

Murdock added that defensemen Connor Scahill and Anchorage’s Max Osborne played well in their first games with Kenai River.

Saturday, Maine scored all three of the games’ third-period goals in a 4-2 victory.

Noah Kane got the Nordiques on the board with 3 minutes, 44 seconds, gone in the second period, but Lajoie equalized for the Bears with 13:51 left in the second. Logan Ritchie, assisted by Anchorage’s Max Helgeson, then put the Bears ahead.

Goals by Casper Soderling and Trent Grimshaw had the Nordiques up with 6:25 left in the game, then Kevin Pitts finished things off with a goal with two seconds left.

Fraga stopped 34 for the Bears, while Avery Sturtz stopped 36 for the Nordiques.

The Bears host the New Mexico Ice Wolves on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Friday

Nordiques 2, Brown Bears 1

Maine 0 1 0 1 —2

Kenai River 1 0 0 0 —1

First period — 1. Kenai River, Lajoie (Morgan), 18:57. Penalties — Kenai River 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 2. Maine, Belov (un.), 12:27. Penalties — Maine 2 for 6:00; Kenai River 1 for 4:00.

Third period — none. Penalties — Kenai River 2 for 4:00.

Overtime — Maine, Fox (Prout, Pitts), 1:49. Penalties — none.

Shots on goal — Maine 14-14-13-2—43; Kenai River 18-10-7-1—36.

Goalies — Maine, Mankowski (36 shots, 35 saves); Kenai River, Fraga (43 shots, 41 saves).

Power plays — Maine 0 for 3; Kenai River 0 for 1.

Saturday

Nordiques 4, Brown Bears 2

Maine 0 1 3 —4

Kenai River 0 2 0 —2

First period — none. Penalties — none.

Second period — 1. Maine, Kane (Kent), 3:44; 2. Kenai River, Lajoie (un.), 6:09; 3. Kenai River, Ritchie (Helgeson), pp, 11:22. Penalties — Maine 1 for 2:00.

Third period — 4. Maine, Soderling (Thibeault), 2:44; 5. Maine, Grimshaw (Pitts, Belov), 13:25; 6. Maine, Pitts (Soderling), 19:58. Penalties — Maine 1 for 2:00; Kenai River 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal — Maine 16-14-8—38; Kenai River 13-15-10—38.

Goalies — Maine, Sturtz (38 shots, 36 saves); Kenai River, Fraga (38 shots, 34 saves).

Power plays — Maine 1 for 1, Kenai River 1 for 2.

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Ryan Reid battles Ignat Belov of the Maine Nordiques for the puck Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River Brown Bears defenseman Ryan Reid battles Ignat Belov of the Maine Nordiques for the puck Friday, Jan. 17, 2020, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Logan Ritchie steps inside of Maine Nordiques defenseman Derek Hessinger on Friday, Jan. 18, 2020, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Logan Ritchie steps inside of Maine Nordiques defenseman Derek Hessinger on Friday, Jan. 18, 2020, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Cannon Green and Noah Kane of the Maine Nordiques attack Kenai River goalie Danny Fraga on Friday, Jan. 18, 2020, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Cannon Green and Noah Kane of the Maine Nordiques attack Kenai River goalie Danny Fraga on Friday, Jan. 18, 2020, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

More in Sports

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole

The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.

Seward's Fred Moore stands at the base of Mount Marathon in Seward, Alaska, on Monday, June 24, 2019. Moore will run in his 50th consecutive Mount Marathon race on July 4. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
‘It’s been a good run’

Seward’s Moore explains his decision to end his Mount Marathon streak at 54

Matthew Schilling of the American Legion Post 20 Twins slides safely past Eagle River catcher Jack Mullen on Monday, July 7, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Monday: Twins keep rolling with sweep of Eagle River

The American Legion Post 20 Twins swept Eagle River on Monday at… Continue reading

Sharon Tyone, Dan Aaronson and Jessica Small make the "real life slot machine" work at the Oilers All-Star Family Field Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Coral Seymour Memorial Park in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Oilers return to field for All-Star Family Field Day

It was only for a day, but the Peninsula Oilers were able… Continue reading

David Norris, 34, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, wins the men's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Norris goes 6 for 6 in Mount Marathon men’s race; Moore’s streak ends at 54 races

One streak lived while another streak ended during a brilliantly sunny men’s… Continue reading

Anchorage's Klaire Rhodes, 27, wins the women's race at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Rhodes defends women’s Mount Marathon crown

With Seward stuffed with people for 97th running of the Mount Marathon… Continue reading

The juniors start at the Mount Marathon Race on July 4, 2025, in Seward, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchorage’s Zuber, Flagstad capture junior Mount Marathon races

Kenai’s Boonstra takes 2nd in junior girls race

tease
Thursday: Twins finish strong road trip by sweeping South

The visiting American Legion Post 20 Twins picked up 10-0 and 18-5… Continue reading

Nick Varney
Reeling ‘Em In: Fair weather expected for 4th of July weekend

Keep a heads-up approach when in traffic during the holiday — you don’t know who you’ll run into.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in