The Juneau-Douglas High School hockey team fell to Kenai Central 4-3 in the third-place game at the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Saturday in Houston.
Cole Barelli, Jacob Dale and Bill Bosse all scored for the Crimson Bears (2-6, 0-2 MAC) in the losing effort.
Blake Bixby, Dalton Hoy, Greyson Liebelt and Joseph Monsef were credited with assists in the game.
It was only the second tournament game of the week for JDHS at the Big Lake Lions Recreation Center. The Crimson Bears lost another close game against tournament host Houston on Friday. The Hawks’ Austin Zweifel and Riley Scott both scored for the home team to give them a 2-1 win over JDHS.
“We just got outplayed and outworked in the games we played this tournament,” JDHS head coach Luke Adams said in a phone interview.
Bosse, a junior, scored the lone JDHS goal in the third period against Houston. It’s the second consecutive weekend Bosse has scored for JDHS. Houston outshot JDHS 30-23 in the game.
The Crimson Bears advanced into the winner’s bracket Thursday night without even needing to skate warmups. JDHS was slated to face reigning Class 4A state champion Chugiak, but the Anchorage School District suspended Chugiak and all other school activities for the day on account of icy roads. The Mustangs were forced to forfeit the game.
Wasilla won the championship 4-1 over Houston on Saturday night.
JDHS returns home to Treadwell Arena this weekend where it will play Northern Lights Conference powerhouse Colony on Friday and Saturday.
Adams said his team, in general, came out flat in the tournament games. This habit won’t bode well for the team against Colony.
“They’re going to be very good,” Adams said.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
