Week 1 Wrap-Up

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The 2015-2016 KJHL season kicked off on Friday night, as the North Winnipeg Satelites ventured South for a match-up with division rival St. Malo Warriors.
This was a closely contested game, with each team scoring a goal in the first period leaving the game tied after one. The second period saw neither team find the mark, and the game remained 1-1 after the second frame. The 3rd period went nearly the full distance tied, but St. Malo found a buzzer-beating dying second goal to squeak out the victory.
Robert Guimond led the Warriors with a goal and an assist, including the game winner. Kyle Fortin scored the other St. Malo goal. Jordan Taylor was solid in goal, making 18 saves on 19 shots.
Derek Ramage scored the lone Satelites goal. Marc Hildebrand turned aside 33 of the 35 shots he faced in a strong performance.
 
Saturday night saw 3 games on the schedule.
In Selkirk, the defending KJHL champion Fishermen played host to the Arborg Ice Dawgs. Selkirk got on the board early in the first, and held a 1-0 lead. They added a second goal near the midway mark of the 2nd, and then both Arborg and Selkirk traded goals late in the period. After 40 minutes, it was 3-1 Fish. Selkirk added the lone third period goal, and closed the game out 4-1.
Fishermen rookie Jeremy Thomas led the team with 2 goals, while Milan Horanski added a goal and an assist. Drayton Mendrun and rounded out the scoring. Michael Smiley added 2 assists in the game. Jordan Liske made 24 saves in the game to record the victory.
The Ice Dawgs’ got their lone goal from veteran Spencer Kilbrei. Jon Narverud made 29 saves in goal.
 
The Norway House North Stars opened their season by hosting the Peguis Juniors. The North Stars got the fans into the game quickly, scoring just 18 seconds in. The lead was short lived however, as the Juniors found their offense and replied with 4 first period goals. The Juniors kept the pressure on in the second, adding 3 more unanswered goals to their total to lead 7-1. The teams traded 2 goals apiece in the 3rd, leaving the final score 9-3 Peguis.
Waylon Neault and Montana tanner both recorded a goal and 2 assists, while Donovan Tanner tallied 3 assists. Audy Penner, Kessin Richard, and Dylan Stevenson each scored once and added an assist, while Tristan Slater recorded 2 assists. Keifer Tacan made 27 saves on the 30 shots he faced for the win.
The North Stars got single goals from Sam McKay, Darrian Sinclair & Hunter York. Jarred Gore started the game for Norway House, making 23 saves on 28 shots, but recording the loss. Julien Kirkness relieved him and made 17 saves on 21 shots.
 
The Cross Lake Islanders returned to the KJHL this season. They played their home opener Saturday night, hosting the Lundar Falcons. The Falcons’ jumped out to the first period lead, scoring twice, including a shorthanded marker. The Islanders’ scored their first goal of the season, drawing within one, and then traded goals within a 35 seconds span to leave the game 3-2 Lundar after 40 minutes. The Falcons’ added a 4th goal in the 3rd, with Cross Lake again drawing close with one of their own. Lundar earns their first win of the season with a 4-3 victory, spoiling the Islanders return to the KJHL.
Bryce Horning led the Falcons by scoring a hat trick. Cody Paul and Trent Laycock each recorded 2 assists. Travis Rigden made 30 saves on 33 shots to record the win.
Kenley Monias scored twice to pace the Islanders, while Rosaire McKay recorded 2 assists. Braeden Boschman scored the other Islander goal. Brendan McLeod turned aside 30 shots in the loss.
 
Sunday only had two games on the schedule. Norway House played host to the Lundar Falcons. Lundar opened the scoring, only to have the North Stars tie the game. Both teams traded goals after that in the first, with Norway House re-tying the game with only 7 seconds remaining in the first, sending the teams to the dressing room tied 2-2. The second period saw the North Stars grab the lead, but Lundar battled back to score twice and hold a thin 4-3 lead heading to the final frame. Norway House tied the game with just under 8 minutes remaining. Again, the Falcons’ grabbed the lead, but surrendered it not long after. Regulation time ended with the score tied 5-5. Overtime solved nothing, and the teams headed to a shootout. Lundar scored once in the shootout, while the North Stars found the mark twice, to grab the extra point and the win.
Bryce Horning continued his scoring ways, recording a goal and 3 assists, to finish the weekend with 4 goals and 3 assists. Cody Paul and Byron Spence added a goal and 2 assists each. Randy Quick made 34 saves in the game, losing in the shootout, but earning his team a point.
Tanner Poker scored twice and added 2 assists for 4 points to lead the North Stars. Vergas Chartier, Elvis Balfour Jr & Preston Wesley both added two points in the game. Julien Kirkness made 44 saves, along with stopping 3 Falcons’ shooters in the shootout to earn his team the victory.
 
Cross Lake played their second game of the season, this time facing division rival Peguis Juniors. The teams each scored a goal in the first to remain tied after one. Peguis quickly jumped ahead in the 2nd, scoring 3 times, and held a 4-1 lead after two periods of play. The 3rd period saw Peguis add to their lead, scoring two more times, before the Islanders’ added one of their own. The teams then traded goals in the final 30 seconds. Make this one a Peguis final – 7-3.
The Juniors were led by Waylon Neault who scored a hat trick and added an assist, to close the weekend with 4 goals and 3 assists. Montana Tanner added a goal and 2 assists, while Matthew Cameron, Tristan Slater, Devon Garson and Donovan Tanner all recorded 2 points. Keifer Tacan made 22 saves on 25 shots to record his second win of the season.
Cross Lake’s Kenley Monias scored two more goals in this game. Austin Ross & Josh Mallett both recorded 2 assists in the game. Troy Monias made 20 saves in the game.
 
KJHL action resumes this week on Tuesday, with the Fisher River Hawks visiting the Selkirk Fishermen & the Arborg Ice Dawgs in Winnipeg to play the Satelites. Thursday night sees the OCN Storm open their season on the road against the Norway House North Stars. Friday night sees the Lundar Falcons play the Peguis Juniors and the St. Malo Warriors visiting the Arborg Ice Dawgs. Both Saturday and Sunday have 3 games each on the schedule. On Saturday, the Norway House North Stars visit the Selkirk Fishermen, the Cross Lake Islanders are in Fisher River and the OCN stops in Peguis to play the Juniors. Sunday sees the St. Malo Warriors play in Lundar as the Falcons have their home opener. The OCN Storm play Fisher River, and Norway House visits the Arborg Ice Dawgs.