Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Matt Sanford registered three goals and an assist to lead the North Pole Patriots to a 6-2 victory over the Houston Hawks in a Mid Alaska Conference high school hockey game on Wednesday night at the Polar Ice Arena.

Vance Bridgman, Jared Linnell and Austin Wood also scored for North Pole. The Patriots took a 6-0 lead before giving up two power-play goals in the third period.

DJ Carnley registered three assists, while Nick Crutcher and Hank Parra also had helpers.

North Pole goalie Kalvyn Pugh registered 28 saves in notching the win.

Dillon Styers had a goal and an assist for the Hawks. Joe VanHyning picked up the other goal. Timothy Scates and Micah Ranum also had assists. Netminder Will Rauchenstein stopped 33 shots.

Houston is scheduled to play Lathrop at 6:45 tonight at the Big Dipper Ice Arena.

Besh Cup postponed

This weekend’s Besh Cup Series races scheduled for the Salcha Ski Trails on Saturday and the Birch Hill Recreation Area on Sunday have been postponed one week, the Cross-Country Alaska competition committee announced Wednesday evening.

The races are now scheduled for Feb. 9 at Salcha and Feb. 10 at Birch Hill.

The Besh Cup Series determines which skiers will represent Alaska at the Junior Olympic National Championships and the Arctic Winter Games, both scheduled for March.

The Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks announced that it will hold the final race of the Flint Hills Town Race Series on Saturday at Birch Hill. Elementary and junior high skiers will compete in mass start freestyle races, while high school and adult skiers will compete in mass start classical races.

The races are scheduled to get under way at 11 a.m. at Birch Hill.

Contact the News-Miner sports department at 459-7581.