The Kenai River Brown Bears defeated the Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues 7-4 on Thursday in North American Hockey League play at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
The Brown Bears moved into a tie with the Jr. Blues for fifth place in the Midwest Division.
Both squads have 47 points. Kenai River is 20-21-4-3, while the Jr. Blues are 22-22-1-2. The fourth and final playoff spot in the Midwest currently belongs to the Chippewa (Wisconsin) Steel with 52 points.
The Bears have become a factor in the playoff chase by playing their best hockey of the season of late. Kenai River scored seven goals for the first time this season and now has points in 11 of the last 12 games.
“We’re just fighting for those wins,” said Kenai River defenseman Riley Mullen, who celebrated his 100th NAHL game with an empty-net goal to seal the win. “We’re in a playoff hunt, tied with these guys.
“So it’s do or die.”
The three-game series continues Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the sports complex.
Kenai River went down just 1:18 into the game on a goal by Logan Ganz.
By the time the first 10 minutes of the game were expired, though, the Bears led 4-1.
Thomas Gunderson scored on assists by Brady Engelkes and Wes Berg, Andy Larson scored on assists from Gavin Jensen and Dario Lass, Berg scored with help from Engelkes and Gunderson, and Lass scored on a helper from Larson.
“I think it was a wakeup call for our group,” Kenai River head coach Taylor Shaw said of the opening goal. “We gotta get going here.
“We were able to get some chances, we made a couple nice plays on the goals, and we’re finding ways to finish.”
The Jr. Blues traveled from Illinois to Wisconsin on Tuesday and didn’t arrive on the central peninsula until nighttime.
“It’s a little bit of an adjustment to play on the big ice,” Jr. Blues assistant coach Jon Skarlis said. “We don’t have big ice back home.
“No excuses, but we did have a long travel day, and it’s going to take a little bit to get our legs under us. I thought, minus the first 10 minutes, we did some good things after that and made a push.”
Springfield pushed hard in the first half of the second period. Ganz scored again to make it 4-2, while Kenai River goalie Mitchell Mccusker saved a two-on-none and also watched a shot zing off the pipe.
“He certainly made some nice stops,” Skarlis said of Mccusker. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to bury our scoring chances.
“We’ve been a little bit snake-bitten as of late.”
Larson blunted Springfield’s momentum when he scored unassisted with 9:40 left in the second period.
“We reverted back into some bad habits, and we weren’t managing the puck,” Shaw said. “We were trying to cheat for offense. We weren’t killing plays fast enough.
“They pushed. We allowed them to stay in the game with the scoring chances we gave up.”
With 7:14 left in the game, Jagur McClelland of the Blues made it 5-3, but Engelkes, assisted by Gunderson and Berg, answered about three minutes later.
Niko Laus scored for Springfield with 2:54 left after the Jr. Blues had pulled the goalie, but Mullen answered with the empty-netter.
“It’s defense-first in that scenario, so it’s good to just get a clear regardless,” Mullen said. “But for it to go in, why not?
“It’s a pretty special moment on a special night with family in town.”
Mullen, who is from Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, arrived with the Bears at the trade deadline last season and has played 67 games with the team. His other NAHL games came for the Minnesota Wilderness.
The Bears are celebrating parents weekend this weekend. Riley’s mother and father, Pat and Donna Mullen, are in town, as well as his uncle, Steve Myers, and cousin, Nina Myers.
“It was a lot of fun moments, and a lot of sucky moments,” Mullen said of his 100-game stint. “It’s the highs with the guys in the room that means the most.”
Mccusker stopped 24 for the Bears, while Jack Kavetsky stopped 21 for the Jr. Blues.
Shaw said the team will have to defend better Friday and Saturday.
“I care more about the defending piece,” Shaw said. “Mitch made some nice saves, but we can’t give up four goals, right? It’s not a recipe for success.”
Skarlis said his team has bounced back all season.
“It’s playoff hockey right now, and we understand we’re fighting for out playoff lives. We’re trying to make the playoffs, and so are they.
“So it’s going to be a competitive weekend. We’ve got to be better tomorrow.”
Thursday
Brown Bears 7, Jr. Blues 4
Spr 1 1 2 —4
Ken 4 1 2 —7
First period — 1. Springfield, Ganz (Berres, Chung), 1:18. 2. Kenai River, Gunderson (Engelkes, Berg), 4:36. 3. Kenai River, Larson (Jensen, Lass), 6:44. 4. Kenai River, Berg (Engelkes, Gunderson), 7:53. 5. Kenai River, Lass (Larson), 10:00. Penalties — Springfield 1 for 2:00.
Second period — 6. Springfield, Ganz (Broadhead, Winkleback), 5:34. 7. Kenai River, Larson (un.), 10:40. Penalties — none.
Third period — 8. Springfield, McClelland (Lowe, Ganz), 12:46. 9. Kenai River, Engelkes (Gunderson, Berg), 15:50. 10. Springfield, Laus (Broadhead), ea, 17:06. 11. Kenai River, Mullen (un.), en, 18:24. Penalties — Springfield 1 for 2:00; Kenai River 2 for 4:00.
Shots on goal — Springfield 9-8-11—28; Kenai River 9-9-10—28.
Goalies — Springfield, Kavetsky (27 shots, 21 saves); Kenai River, Mccusker (28 shots, 24 saves).
Power plays — Springfield 0 for 1; Kenai River 0 for 1.
Riley Mullen (9) of the Kenai River Brown Bears is congratulated on his goal Thursday, March 6, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Joseph Yoon of the Kenai River Brown Bears drives the net on Logan Opgrand of the Springfield (Illinois) Jr. Blues on Thursday, March 6, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
