Soldotna, Alaska | 11/05/21 | Isaac Smoldon
The Wolverines failed to secure any points in the first game of the Club 49 Cup, falling to the Kenai River Brown Bears by a score of 4-1. The Brown Bears were helped by an excellent performance from Bryant Marks, who made 35 saves on 36 shots.
Despite the Wolverines outshooting the Brown Bears 13-6 in the 1st period, it would be Kenai who scored the lone goal of the frame. Kevin Enriquez threw a shot on net from the point that found its way past Shane Soderwall at the 13:50 mark to put Kenai up one. Despite several good chances for Anchorage, Marks stood tall in net for the Brown Bears to keep Anchorage scoreless.
In the 2nd, it would only take 3 minutes and 28 seconds for Kenai to score again, this time from Gramm McCormack. The Wolverines would have three power play opportunities in short succession, but the special team units remained ineffective offensively. Marks put up another 13 saves in the 2nd and Anchorage once again outshot Kenai, but had nothing to show for it on the score board.
The 3rd period started off with Kenai scoring early on a 3-2 play punctuated by a Luke Panchisin goal. Unlike the previous period, Anchorage would be able to beat Marks. Just under halfway through the final frame, Colton Friesen would score his second goal of the season, a tip off of a power play point shot from Campbell Cichosz. Despite the Wolverines goal, Kenai would ice the game late with an empty net goal from David Vieten and the Brown Bears would secure their third win of the season.
While the Brown Bears snapped Anchorage’s three game winning streak, Talon Sigurdson’s assist on the lone Wolverine goal extended his personal points streak to eight games. The Wolverines will have a chance for revenge against Kenai on Saturday, before returning home to face the Brown Bears twice more.
