JACKSON HOLE, WYO – The Jackson Hole Moose eked out a win Friday night over the Suns with a last-minute one-timer goal from AJ Sanders on the power play. After an empty net goal from Tom Hartnett, the final was Moose 5, Suns 3. Saturday night was a different story, as Sun Valley came out flying to an 8-0 whitewashing of the Moose in what coach Howie Carruth called, “one of those games.”
The Moose entered Friday night’s game with a roster gutted by injury. And it got worse. Already hurting on the blueline, Carruth lost Sage Welch in the first period after he took a puck to the face. Team captain Brian Upesleja was moved back to defense along with forward Kevin Sunde.
Tom Hartnett lit the lamp twice Friday, and Drew Akins was everywhere—named the game’s first star with three assists. It was an even game until a late slashing call again the Suns put the Moose on the power play. That’s when Sanders tallied the winner with 19 seconds left.
With that loss to chew on all night, Sun Valley hit the ice Saturday with revenge in mind. Coach John Burke kept the shifts short and his skaters fresh. The jump in the Suns forwards eventually wore down a Moose team that just couldn’t keep up.
Goaltender Nick Krauss, who was strong Friday, got little help Saturday. He was pulled in favor of Tyler Jansen in the second period. Jansen was also treated unfavorably by the Suns who didn’t back off the gas until the third.
Suns right winger Chad O’Brien led all scorers with a 5-point night Saturday. Jackson won’t have to wait long to get their revenge. The teams meet in Sun Valley in two weeks—December 29-30.
