While the entire season doesn't mean too much, particularly in light of the season-ending tournament, the Chugiak-Eagle River girls team is getting tired of finishing on the short end of the scoring ledger.
In two of the team's three games last week, the local team fell one goal short. In one of those losses, Chugiak-Eagle River carried a lead deep into the game.
“It's not a lack of effort. It's a lack of depth,” said head coach Rob Hulse. “We just run out of gas.”
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PHOTO BY JOSHUA BOROUGH
Chugiak High School junior goalie Brittany Watson flips a shot to the side during action with Dimond-West Nov. 15 at Ben Boeke Ice Arena.
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With two and a half lines, Chugiak-Eagle River has been trying to piecemeal a third line by pulling a couple of their first-line forwards back to the blue line. “Basically we're double-shifting a couple of them,” he said. The results have not justified the means, said Hulse, promising to make a change.
“We are going to have to break up our two [strong] lines. We just can't keep up with these other teams. With their four lines, they are just so deep. They keep coming at us,” said Hulse, referring to the Nov. 15 match-up with Dimond-West, when Chugiak-Eagle River was up by a goal until the last four minutes.
The coach said he had been pleased with the efforts, particularly his young corps of defensemen, namely freshman Jennifer MacMillan, sophomore Kelsey Watson and junior Nicole Moore.
“They are learning more and more every game. They are going to be fine at the end of the season,” he said.
Hulse said he has also been very pleased with freshman Sophie Mundell, a forward, who also doubles as the backup goalie to junior Brittany Watson.
“Sophie is just such a great skater. She causes a lot of turnovers with her fierce fore-checking,” he said.
Junior Morgan Payovich has been on a scoring tear as of late, with one goal against Dimond-West and the team's only score against Service-East Saturday.
Unfortunately, the team currently sports a Cook Inlet Conference record of 0-6.
“We'll be fine by the end of the season,” Hulse said.
Reach the reporter at news@alaskastar.com.
