For the week of January 16 - 22, 2002

Suns (10-0) paint some big numbers on Richtone

Tune-up for three big weekends of hockey

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With three challenging hockey weekends on the horizon, the Sun Valley Suns (10-0) tuned up their scoring machine last weekend with 11-4 and 14-5 wins over Richtone Painting from Minnesota.

It was a score-sheet weekend as the Suns outscored Richtone 25-9, out-shot their visitors 101-53 and out-pointed the Minneapolis sextet 66-23. Twelve different Suns skaters scored in the two-game sweep.

Spotting Richtone a 2-0 lead Friday, the Suns put 10 unanswered goals on the board and gave winning goalie Matt Gershater (6-0-0) an easy night between the pipes.

Right wing John Stevens had a pair of power-play goals and recorded his second hat trick of the season. Scoring two goals apiece were Scott Winkler (one shorthanded), Ivars Muzis and Ben Stauffer.

First-year forward Stauffer added two more goals Saturday and Vilnis Nikolaisons had the hat trick, but the 14-goal Suns assault was amazingly balanced. Ten different Suns scored—and right wing John Miller tallied a pair of shorthanded goals.

Coming up with their first goals as the Suns stretched their two-season winning streak to 17 games were Kris Webster, Muzis and Kit Hughes. Point leaders were Stevens (4-4 for 8) and Nikolaisons (3-5 for 8).

The assignments will be much tougher the next three weekends.

Next, the Suns entertain Minneapolis Green Mill Jan. 18-19 on resort ice. Opening face-offs are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The teams split last year, Green Mill taking the Friday night game 4-3 OT.

The 2001 National Elite champions Bucks Unfinished Furniture from Minneapolis return Jan. 25-26 and the Jackson Hole Moose come to Sun Valley Feb. 1-2.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.