VERMONT SWITCHBACKS GAMES CANCELLED

Due to COVID concerns these two games scheduled 4-5 March are cancelled

SUNS BATTLE VAIL YETI LAST HOME GAMES OF THE SEASON

Last Home Games

Game time 7:30PM both evenings

Doors open at 6:15PM.

$10- 18 and older

$5 - 17 and younger

Credit Cards now Accepted

All patrons must wear a mask while in the venue, Thank you!

Thanks for everything, from the Suns

On the eve of the last home weekend of games, and serving as the head of the Sun Valley Suns organization, I realize there are so many people to thank who ensure the Suns legacy. This last duration at the helm of the program has been a very rewarding experience for me. To watch the hockey team and the support from the community grow and grow has filled me with gratitude. I’ve always said it takes a village to raise a team! If I forget someone please give me the latitude and excuse of advanced years.

To Sarah Benson, Bryan Speth, staff and board of directors at the Campion Ice House in Hailey: You have provided us with a world-class venue and everything we need to entertain the valley. Thank you!

To Scott Irvine at the Sun Valley Skating Center and Sun Valley Company: You’ve been there a long time for us. You’ve provided a sheet for home games since 1975 and for practice every year since! The company’s support for visiting teams has added significantly to the success and duration of the Suns history. Thank you!

To the Suns alumni: I played with many of you. And I so-called coached a ton of you! It’s been a lifetime of good times and memories. Forty-seven years and going on 50 is something to behold! So many of you have been instrumental in the continuation of the team. All the coaches—Johnny Weekes, Glenn Hunter, Tim Jeneson, Chris Benson, Steve Morcone and now Ryan Enrico. I know how much time and dedication is consumed to keep the frogs in the wheelbarrow. Well done boys! I’d be remiss to not include Charles Friedman and his time making sure the Suns continue to take the ice on Friday and Saturday nights! His group kept it going with little to work with. That’s been a critical part in Suns history. To the active Suns Alumni whom I‘ve leaned on over the past 10 years—Johnny Miller, Steve Morcone, Tony Benson, Dave Stone, Glenn Hunter (who started the Suns community outreach program) and Dave Hutchinson who continues to do more behind the scenes without any recognition. Thank you! Once a Sun-always a Sun!

To all of our corporate sponsors over the years—Pioneer Saloon, Sawtooth Orthopedics, Watkins Distributing, Davis Embroidery, Copy and Print, Sun Valley Company, Zenergy, Campion Ice House, PK’s Ski and Sports, Limelight Hotel and AmericaInn. Thank you!

To the Mountain Express and Jeff Cordes and now Jon Mentzer. Thanks for all the great coverage throughout the Suns tenure.

To all the current players. It’s a totally eclectic group to match any group in history. I was proud and honored to go to battle with you boys. You wear the logo well and realize its history and traditions are bigger than anyone of you individually. Get to 50 boys one shift at a time! I wish all the good fortune to the new management team. They are Sean O’Grady as General Manager, Taylor Rothgeb the Assistant GM and Ryan Enrico as Head Coach.

Shouts out to the original Suns like Hermie Haavik, Charlie Holt, Alex Orb and Johnny Weekes for organizing the first team, way back.

To every benefit group and volunteer, to Brian Hamel and the security staff, to announcers and stat keepers led by Jeff and Gini Ballou, also the anthem singers, referees, and linesmen, to head trainer Brian Ward and assistant trainer Kolten Marcroft, and to our medical staff Dr. Batcha and Dr. Tony along with newest member Deb Robertson. I’ve always thought we were blessed with a better medical staff than most pro teams. Thanks for keeping the players on and off the ice when it was merited.

To every fan! The lifeblood of the Suns history! Your support, enthusiasm and cheers have been the fuel that has kept the franchise humming. We honestly can’t thank you enough!

To George and Theo Gund. For starting it all! And what developed afterwards. Turning a ski town into both a hockey town and a ski town. Youth Hockey, Senior Hockey and the Suns are forever grateful.

I’m going to miss going to the rink. All the ambience it involves. All the laughs, and all the wins and losses. All the interactions with you all. I’ll pop in here and there. There is only one Wood River Valley. I’ve been fortunate to travel the world in my other job. There’s no place like it. It’s the people that make it special.

One last thing. Go Suns Go!

Thank you,

John “Cub” Burke

Suns get the best out of St. Nicks

It took two tough battles in their homecoming to Campion Ice House, but the Sun Valley Elite A men’s hockey team pulled off a sweep of the visiting New York St. Nicks.

After three weeks away from Hailey, the Suns were the comeback kids on Friday night, winning, 6-5, then kept up the momentum Saturday to wear down the St. Nicks, 8-5.

In front of 882 fans over the Presidents’ Day Weekend, the Suns (10-6 overall, 8-6 home, 2-0 away) put on a show against a talented and historic team, which comprised former minor leaguers and NCAA Division 1, 2 and 3 players.

Starting in 1896, the St. Nicks flaunt a history that predates even the National Hockey League. However, that didn’t deter the headstrong Suns, who were looking for a triumphant weekend of hockey.

“These were our best back-to-back games all season,” Suns head coach Ryan Enrico said. “All four lines, six defensemen and both goalies were firing on all cylinders.”

Friday’s showing had thrills and spills. Down 3-0 early in the second period, forward DJ Robinson (Trevor Thomas assist) put the Suns on the board for the first time. Then, the Suns rattled off two more goals in two minutes from Doug Yeates (Mike Curry assist) and Derek Grimes (Brenden McGovern, Sean O’Grady) to tie it 3-3.

The teams went at each other like two heavyweights slugging it out. New York added two more goals, but Sun Valley added one more of its own from McGovern (Grimes, Curry). New York held a 5-4 lead at the end of the second period.

In the third period, the Suns eventually took the lead with goals from Max Tardy (Yeates, Curry) and another from McGovern (unassisted).

On Friday, Bobby Bowden (5-5) got the call at the net for the Suns and finished with the victory and 48 saves. New York’s Tommy Burke played impressively for the St. Nicks. New York’s only goalie of the weekend ended with 37 saves in 57 minutes.

Former Suns forward Kevin Kaiser had 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) for New York on Friday.

Saturday’s game had a similar vibe. New York jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second period with the lone Suns goal from Justin Taylor (O’Grady, Grimes).

Five minutes into the second period, the Suns turned on the juice and tallied up three unanswered goals in the middle frame. Goal scorers in the second period were Tardy (Brian Dunford, Spencer Brendel), Chad O’Brien (Curry, Robinson) and Yeates (Tardy, Brendel).

“We wore them out on both nights,” Enrico said. “You could see the tide turn as the game wore on. But, we had a game plan, and we stuck to it well.”

Sun Valley added four more goals in the third period, including a goal from McGovern as time expired to get the goal total to eight. Tardy (Brendel), Brendel (Tardy, Yeates), Steve McCall (Thomas) and McGovern (Darrell Hay) put the Suns up for good.

Matt Cooper (5-1) was at the net Saturday, racking up 31 saves. The St. Nicks’ Burke had 21 saves in 57 minutes.

Big players from the weekend for the Suns were Tardy with 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists), McGovern with 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist), Brendel with 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists), Yeates with 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) and Curry with 3 assists.

This brings the Suns average goals per game to 5.9 goals while holding opponents to only 3.9 gpg.

Vail wraps Suns home slate this weekend

This upcoming weekend, the Suns welcome the Vail Yeti (6-6). The Yeti are coming off a split series against the Denver Leafs. In addition, the Yeti recently added two forwards in Mike Testwuide and Evan Ritt.

Testwuide is a Colorado College product and spent four years in the AHL before seven more years in the Asia Hockey League. He then represented South Korea in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Ritt is a Denver University product and was a member of the 2017 NCAA National Championship team that beat Minnesota-Duluth, 3-2.

“Vail will be a different task for us,” Enrico said. “It’ll be more physical. It’ll be a tall task, but we’ll get back to work and get ready to play next weekend.”

The series against the Yeti marks the final home game for the Suns. Sun Valley had the Vermont Switchbacks scheduled as the last home game (March 4-5), but Vermont had to cancel the series.

St. Nicks bring storied history come to Campion

History is coming to Hailey.

In their much-anticipated return to home ice, the Sun Valley Suns Elite A men’s hockey team will welcome an unusual team—one with a unique place in hockey history—when the New York St. Nicks come to Campion Ice House in Hailey on Friday and Saturday night.

The St. Nicks are older than the National Hockey League itself, with their first season dating back to 1896 as the St. Nicholas Hockey Club at the St. Nicholas Rink, only one block from Central Park on 66th Street and Columbus Avenue.

Back then, the St. Nicks were an inaugural member of the American Amateur Hockey League (AAHL), which debuted 1896-97. The NHL wasn’t formed for another 20 years, starting in 1917.

The St. Nicks may be one of the the oldest hockey teams in America, while the Suns have been celebrating their 47th year this season, making them the second oldest current independent team.

Numerous notable players have donned the green and blue colors since the St. Nicks’ inception, but none can match Hobey Baker, who played for the St. Nicks from 1914-16. Baker is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time, and in 1981 the Hobey Baker Award was created to be given to the best player in NCAA hockey.

“The history is incredible,” St. Nicks defenseman Todd Keats said. “It keeps us going.”

Despite the deep history, the St. Nicks are not currently in a league. New York’s schedule is usually filled with semi-local teams from around New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

Comprising 50-60 players, the team regularly scrimmages once a week, with at least two trips out West each season alternating between Jackson Hole, Vail and Sun Valley. New York’s most recent road outing was a two-game series with Jackson Hole from Jan. 18-19. The teams split the series.

The matchup between the St. Nicks and Suns date back to the early days of Sun Valley hockey. The two clubs have played each other off and on since the 1970s.

“This is very cool that we keep doing this,” Keats said. “It’s something we mark on our calendars.”

New York’s traveling roster has only 13 players posted. However, the team the Suns will face are once again speedy skaters and strong stick handlers with professional and NCAA Division 1, 2 and 3 experience.

Keats has been on New York’s roster since 2012 and played four years at Wesleyan University.

One familiar face to the Sun Valley crowd will be forward Kevin Kaiser, who played for the Suns from 2018-19 (5 goals, 3 assists in 8 games for the Suns). Kaiser was a forward at Princeton University from 2006-10 and totaled 33 points during those years.

Defenseman Tommy Fallen also has local ties with years as an Idaho Steelhead (2015-16). As a Steelhead, Fallen put up 16 assists. Fallen was also on Yale’s NCAA National Championship run in 2013 when the Bulldogs beat Quinnipiac, 4–0.

Forward Eric Robinson played several years in the AHL and ECHL before becoming a St. Nick. Goalie Tommy Burke (Bowling Green) is the only goaltender on New York’s roster, who should give the Suns a tough time.

Keats added that the St. Nicks don’t usually play a checking-style game, which the Suns and many mountain town teams like Jackson Hole and Vail have become synonymous with. New York’s skill should be a compelling foil to Sun Valley’s physical game.

This will be the third team the Suns will play featuring former professionals this season. That hasn’t intimidated Sun Valley’s gritty and physical style so far. The Suns also have the advantage of playing on a regular schedule and skating at a higher altitude.

“That’s what we always expect from the Suns,” Keats said. “We treat it as great games, but also have fun over the weekend. The Suns are always great to us, they make us feel welcome. It’s about great competition and a great time.”

18-19 February Suns vs NYC St. Nicks

Game time 7PM both evenings

Doors open at 6:15PM.

$10- 18 and older

$5 - 17 and younger

All patrons must wear a mask while in the venue, Thank you!

SUNS TAKE TWO FROM THE BOZEMAN STINGERS

A road trip revitalized the Sun Valley Elite A men’s hockey team last weekend as the Suns swept the Bozeman Stingers in their first away series of the 2021-22 season.

Friday’s game at Haynes Pavilion in Bozeman, Montana, provided the night with seven different Suns players scoring for a breakaway opening game, 8-1.

“We played great on Friday,” Suns head coach Ryan Enrico said. “We shook off the road legs and rolled out four strong lines all night and wore them down. This was a much-needed trip for the guys.”

Enrico added that his fourth line was impressive with Steve McCall, Doug King and Charlie Evans leading an offensive attack that had 50 shots on the night.

Suns goalie Matt Cooper (4-1) got the call and had 33 saves at the net.

Evans scored the game’s first goal in the first period with an unassisted shot. Max Tardy added back-to-back goals within two minutes after the game’s opening goal. His first goal had assists from Mike Curry and Steven Inman.

Another goal from Brenden McGovern in the second period put the Suns up 4-0, and the Stingers at odds early.

Zack Tuchklaper scored Bozeman’s first goal with an assist from Ross Hansen.

Up 4-1, the Suns poured on the offense with goals from Niels McMahon (assist from Curry), Brian Dunford (assists from DJ Robinson and Dylan Shamburger), Grimes (assist from Spencer Brendel) and Inman (assist from Robinson).

“We were just better,” Enrico said. “We had early pushes and kept rolling them. Then the flood gates opened in the third period, and that was all she wrote.”

Saturday’s game was much of the same in an outdoor setting at Big Sky Ice Rink’s outdoor stadium. On a chilly afternoon face-off at 3 p.m. and the sun blazing through, the Suns were able to muster another victory, 4-2. Scorers were Curry, Shamburger, McGovern and Justin Taylor.

“The boys played a magical game on Saturday,” Enrico said.

In their four meetings against the Stingers (1-7), the Suns have outscored their opponent, 25-9.

The Suns (8-6) are off the following two weeks with the Boulder Mountain Tour in town this upcoming weekend. Then, the Suns will have a bye week after the Connecticut Bantam Beauties canceled the series due to COVID-19 concerns. So, the next time the Suns are back on the ice will be their home match against the New York St. Nicks for the Feb. 18-19 series at Campion Ice House in Hailey. Face off is at 7 p.m. 

BANTAM BEAUTIES GAMES CANCELLED 11/12 FEBRUARY

Bantam Beauties will not be playing on the 11th and 12th this month. Our next home game is on February 18th and 19th against St. Nicks

1/28/2022 Suns Visit Bozeman Stingers

1/21/2022 Suns vs East Coast Guttersnipes

Game time 7PM both evenings

Doors open at 6:15PM.

$10- 18 and older

$5 - 17 and younger

All patrons must wear a mask while in the venue, Thank you!

Presale at PK’s Ski and Sports Wednesday 1/19 @ 11AM through Friday 1/21 @ 3PM. Store hours are 8AM until 6PM daily, located at 320 Leadville Ave Ketchum, Idaho