Junior hockey: Avs fall to expansion Brown Bears in season opener

SOLDOTNA — The Kenai River Brown Bears scored four unanswered goals to claim a 6-2 win over the Alaska Avalanche at the Soldotna Sports Center on Friday.

The win was the first in team history for the Brown Bears, an expansion franchise in the Junior A North American Hockey League. The game also spoiled the debut of Jamie Smith as the Avalanche first-year head coach.

Former Wasilla High School standout Jeremiah Dargis scored a power-play goal, and Alaska defenseman Kevin Anger posted an unassisted tally in the loss. With help from Anchorage native Alex Young and former Houston High star Larry Kincaid, Dargis scored at the 18:22 mark of the first period to tie the score at 1-1.

Anger put the puck in the Kenai net midway through the second to knot the score at 2-2.

But the third period was all Kenai. The Brown Bears out-shot the Avs 12-3. Garret Bossert, Brett Englebright and Krisian Leach each scored in the third. Bossert, a former Soldotna HIgh School skater, led the Bears with two goals.

The Avalanche (0-1) travel to Blaine, Minn., later this week to participate in the annaul NAHL Showcase.

See www.frontiersman.com for continued coverage of the Mat-Su Valley junior hockey squad.