JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The Jackson Hole Moose are going to need a little love this weekend as they return home from Colorado in a fragile state.
The Moose dropped both games to the Vail Yeti last weekend, earning their first losses of the season. In addition, an already banged up hockey club saw the injuries pile up over the weekend. The defense corps in particular is heavily depleted.
After losing Charlie Bemis in Friday’s 5-3 loss, the Moose dressed only a dozen skaters Saturday, falling to the Yeti, 5-2. The Moose record falls to 6-2 overall, 4-2 in league play.
With Brad Improta likely gone for the season, and Chase Wharton sidelined now as well as Sam Barrett, the Moose are hurting on the blue line.
At Vail, Kyle Krauss continued his hot hand. The winger and brother of goaltender Nick Krauss, potted his 7th of the season on Friday. With his 6 assists, Krauss is second in scoring behind AJ Sanders (10,9) who tallied once on Saturday and added a helper.
Defenseman Nate Goss-Woliner had a 4-point weekend with a goal and assist both nights.
Playing wounded couldn’t come at a worse time for the defending Black Diamond Hockey League champs as tonight they begin the first of two with arch-rivals Sun Valley (3-2, 2-0 BDHL).
The Suns came out firing in their season-opener Dec. 3-4 with Bozeman, punishing the Stingers 13-5 and 3-1 Hailey’s Campion Ice House. Last weekend, Sun Valley split a pair with the Breckenridge Vipers, winning Friday 6-1 and letting Saturday’s contest slip away in OT, 3-2.
Sun Valley will come to town with a slimmed down roster as well. The Suns will be without Mike Curry (back) or Marty Flichel. First-year center Robbie Murden will miss Friday night’s contest serving a one-game suspension for a fighting major game misconduct.
Suns coach John Burke told the Idaho Mountain Express he expects both teams to come to the rink tonight hungry to turn things around and seize an opportunity to take a commanding lead in the BDHL standings.
In the 17 years Jackson and Sun Valley have met, the Moose hold a 44-27-1 record over the Suns, including a 25-9-1 edge at the Snow King Sports and Event Center. The Moose will get all they want of their Idaho bête noire—this weekend is the start of a home-and-home four-game set with the Suns. Jackson travels to Sun Valley for weekend games Dec. 29-30 to close out the calendar year.
