Bearcats open 2019-2020 hockey season with two wins over Ely

Above, KCC PLAYERS IZYK STREGE, #6, and Morgan Muir, #13, keep the puck away from the Ely Timberwolves. The Bearcats played two games last weekend in Ely and brought home two wins, 9-2 and 9-1. Below, MATTHEW STEWART, #5, takes the puck down the ice against the Ely Timberwolves. (Photos courtesy of Cindy Stewart)

By David Stewart
The Bearcats varsity hockey team traveled to Ely and won twice.
On Friday, Nov. 22,  during their first regular season game, Kittson County Central faced off against the Ely Timberwolves. On the opening faceoff, Ely rushed the net and caught the Bearcats by surprise with a quick goal by Luke Olson, assisted by Jimmy Zupancich and Jason Skube.After that, the first period was all Bearcats with Adam Gustafson scoring, assisted by Hayden Hennen. Calvin Hanson added two goals, the first assisted by Landon Sugden and Gustafson, and the second assisted by Alex Lindegard. The first period ended with the Bearcats leading 3-1.
In the second period, Kittson County Central increased their lead to 4-1 with another goal by Hanson, assisted by Sugden. Gustafson also scored, assisted by Luke Misson. Misson added a goal, assisted by Matthew Stewart and Gustafson. Gustafson added his third goal of the game, assisted by Hanson, increasing the Bearcats lead to 7-1.
In the third period, Hanson scored his fourth goal of the game, assisted by Hayden Olsonawski and Gustafson. Luke Olson scored again for Ely, assisted by Skube, and Zupancich. Kittson County Central’s Carter Larson added a power play goal assisted by Sugden and Izyk Strege to make the final score 9-2.
KCC 9 – Ely 2
KCC    3    4    2    9
Ely    1    0    1    2
First Period–1. Ely, Olson (Zupancich, Skube). 2. KCC, Gustafson (Hennen). 3. KCC, Hanson (Sugden, Gustafson). 4. KCC, Hanson (Lindegard).
Second Period_ 5. KCC, Hanson (Sugden). 6. KCC, Gustafson (Misson). 7. KCC, Misson (Stewart, Gustafson). 8. KCC, Gustafson (Hanson).
Third Period_ 9. KCC, Hanson (Olsonawski, Gustafson). 10. Ely, Olson (Skube, Zupancich). 11. KCC, Carter Larson,  (Sugden, Izyk Strege) (pp).
Shots on goal_KCC  15-22-7_44. Ely 5-5-1_11.
Penalties_KCC 2 (4 min.). Ely 1  (2 min.).
Saves_KCC, Wyatt Olsonawski – 9.  Ely, Chase Sandberg – 35.

On Saturday afternoon, Nov. 23, Kittson County Central faced Ely for the second time. The final score was 9-1.
The Bearcats opened the scoring in the first period on a power play goal by Calvin Hanson, assisted by Adam Gustafson. Luke Misson scored the second goal, assisted by Tyler Hennen and Hayden Olsonawski.Gustafson scored next, assisted by Landon Sugden. T. Hennen scored, assisted by Misson and Olsonawski making the score 4-0.Olsonawski added a goal assisted by T. Hennen and Hayden Hennen. Hanson netted the final goal of the first period assisted by Gustafson and H. Hennen.
In the second period, Ely got on the scoreboard with a goal by Luke Olson, assisted by Seann Prigge. Sugden answered back for Kittson County Central, assisted by Gustafson and Hanson. The second period ended with the Bearcats leading 7-1.
In the third period, Gustafson scored, assisted by Hanson. Olsonawski added the final goal assisted by T. Hennen and Timothy Johnson to make the score 9-1.
KCC 9  – Ely  1
First Period_1. KCC, Hanson, (Gustafson), PP. 2. KCC, Misson (T. Hennen, Olsonawski). 3. KCC, Gustafson (Sugden). 4. KCC, Hennen (Misson, Olsonawski). 5. KCC, Olsonawski (T. Hennen, H. Hennen). 6. KCC, Hanson (Gustafson, H. Hennen).
Second Period_7. Ely, Olson (Prigge). 8. KCC, Sugden (Gustafson, Hanson).
Third Period_9. KCC, Gustafson (Hanson). 10. KCC, Olsonawski (T. Hennen, T. Johnson).
Shots_KCC  21-10-6_37. Ely 2-7-3_12.
Penalties_KCC, 1 (5 min.).  Ely 2  (7 min.).
Saves_KCC, Wyatt Olsonawski, 11; Ely, Ben Cavalier, 28.
Kittson County Central (2-0) will be away on Monday, Dec. 2  to face May-Port CG. They will also be on the road  Saturday, Dec. 7  to play the Detroit Lakes Lakers.