newsminer.com

FAIRBANKS — The North Pole Patriots are going into the Thanksgiving break on a high note after posting their second consecutive 11-0 high school hockey win on Saturday at the Polar Ice Center.

After opening a three-game weekend with a 4-2 upset of four-time defending state champion South Anchorage, the Patriots beat the Eagle River Wolves 11-0 on Friday night and came back to post another 11-0 win against the Wasilla Warriors on Saturday afternoon.

“We played excellent and didn’t let up at all today,” North Pole assistant coach Derek Linnell said after the Patriots overwhelmed the Warriors, who had lost to Lathrop (6-2) on Thursday and beat West Valley (3-1) on Friday.

North Pole jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period and the Patriots continued their assault by putting 48 shots on former teammate Gaylen Klopfer, who was in goal for the Warriors.

“Our top two lines were all over them for the entire game,” Linnell said. “The third line was right there, too. The kids’ work ethic was there the entire game.”

Hank Parra and DJ Carnley each had five-point games, while Matt Sanford and Derek Linnell each collected four points in Saturday afternoon’s contest.

Parra had three goals and two assists, while Carnley contributed a pair of goals and three assists to the winning effort. Sanford had two goals and two assists, with Linnell chipping in a goal and three assists.

Nick Crutcher, Cody Kurkowski and Damon Crutcher also lit the lamp for the Patriots. Vance Bridgman chipped in three assists.

High School hockey takes a break for Thanksgiving, but Linnell said that shouldn’t affect the Patriots, who are off to a 5-1 start on the season.

“I don’t think it will hurt us,” he said. “The kids will be eager to get back to playing on this team. This week was really a lot of positive reinforcement for us.”

When the Patriots return to action, they will be opening Mid Alaska Conference play against the Lathrop Malemutes at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.

“That’s going to be a real battle,” Linnell said. “Our kids will be real pumped up for that one.”