From Mark McKenzie
BISMARCK, ND. (NewsDakota.com) – For the first time in 27 years, the Blue Jay boys hockey team has captured the Championship in the West Region Hockey Tournament.
Saturday in The capital city, Jamestown defeated Bismarck Legacy 3-0 and celebrated with its fans after the game outside the Blue Jay locker room.
The red hot Blue Jay power play was at it again with two goals. Senior Joe Cummings banged in his 11th of the season and Senior Hunter Nelson blasted in his 22nd. Senior Michael Mahoney added an even-strength goal in the third period, his sixth of the season, to ice the game. The Jamestown power play has scored an amazing 18 times in the past seven games.
The states leading scorer, Junior Nolan Nenow picked up his 30 assist of the season.
Senior Goalie Brode Hillstrom picked up his fourth shutout in the past six games with 23 saves and bumped his shutout total to six for the season.
The Jays are the states hottest team with a 16-1 record over its last 17 games, outscoring its opponents 88-18. Jamestown runs its winning streak over West Region teams to 14 in a row.
Head coach Matt Stockert was named West Region Coach of the Year but he says all the credit goes to the players. “It’s exciting and now we need to keep it rolling at state next weekend.”
Jamestown is now 20-4 on the season and will play at noon on Thursday, February 24th at Scheels Arena in Fargo. The Jays will find out Sunday afternoon who they play in the first round. The East Region Tournament will wrap up with three games on Sunday.
Named to the West Region all-conference team for the Blue Jays were Brode Hillstrom, Nolan Nenow, Hunter Nelson & Connor McLachlan. Nelson was named co-winner of the most valuable Senior award with Jackson Ekblad of Williston.
The Blue Jay girls hockey team will also skate at state as the #7 seed, and face Bismarck in the first round next Thursday in Fargo at 5:00 pm. Jamestown is 9-12 on the season.
Listen for coverage of Blue Jay boys and girls State Tournament hockey on 103.1 The Raven and newsdakota.com