Jeff Helminiak

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Brown Bears forward Gil Garcia (far left) celebrates his power-play goal in the first period Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Bears sweep Tomahawks

To mark his 100th career North American Hockey League game, David Kaplan saved something special for the fans. Kaplan celebrated his century mark of games… Continue reading

Brown Bears forward Gil Garcia (far left) celebrates his power-play goal in the first period Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Kalyn McGillivray passes around Wasilla’s Maclaren Obremski and Azlynn Brandenburg on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Hoops roundup: Wasilla girls, boys sweep Soldotna

The Wasilla Warriors continued their reign of terror on the peninsula Thursday with a clean sweep of the Soldotna High basketball squads at SoHi, winning… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Kalyn McGillivray passes around Wasilla’s Maclaren Obremski and Azlynn Brandenburg on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Bears vs. Tomahawks

Fresh off snapping a seven-game losing streak, the Kenai River Brown Bears face the Johnstown (Pennsylvania) Tomahawks tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Luke Posner brings the puck up the ice against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Nov. 3, 2018, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Bears forward Posner overcomes rough start to summer

The 2017 Minnesota state hockey tournament should have been a dream come true for 18-year-old Kenai River Brown Bears forward Luke Posner. A senior, Posner… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears forward Luke Posner brings the puck up the ice against the Fairbanks Ice Dogs on Nov. 3, 2018, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Filip Karlsson of the Kenai River Brown Bears (left) looks for a shot against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights goaltender David Tomeo Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Bears take Saturday game in shootout

On a late March Friday night last season, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Knights came to the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex and defeated the Kenai River Brown… Continue reading

Filip Karlsson of the Kenai River Brown Bears (left) looks for a shot against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights goaltender David Tomeo Friday night at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Doug Armstrong and Julie Stephens near the end of Fat Freddie’s Bike Race and Ramble on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in the Caribou Hills. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Freddie’s Bike Race beckons riders to Caribou Hills

The Caribou Hills. Not just for snowmachiners and mushers anymore. That was the message conveyed by the second annual Fat Freddie’s Bike Race and Ramble… Continue reading

Doug Armstrong and Julie Stephens near the end of Fat Freddie’s Bike Race and Ramble on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018, in the Caribou Hills. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Andy Liebner, a 2001 Soldotna High School graduate, and German Madrazo, a Mexican Olympic cross-country skier coached by Liebner, stand together at FIS races in Cerro Catedral, Argentina, in September 2017. (Photo provided by Andy Liebner)

Provoking passion: SoHi grad Liebner returns to Olympics as cross-country ski coach

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach… Continue reading

Andy Liebner, a 2001 Soldotna High School graduate, and German Madrazo, a Mexican Olympic cross-country skier coached by Liebner, stand together at FIS races in Cerro Catedral, Argentina, in September 2017. (Photo provided by Andy Liebner)
Soldotna’s Sam McElroy goes up for a shot in front of Kodiak’s Sam Glairdo (11) and other defenders Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

SoHi boys return to beat Kodiak

The host Soldotna boys basketball team overcame a slow start to defeat Kodiak 45-40 in Northern Lights Conference action Wednesday. The Stars move to 9-10… Continue reading

Soldotna’s Sam McElroy goes up for a shot in front of Kodiak’s Sam Glairdo (11) and other defenders Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, at Soldotna High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Sara Bundy (127), Mary King (121) and Patricia Berkhahn (125) lead a group of skiers Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the Ski For Women at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Skiers brave cold at Ski For Women

Chisato Johnson won the vote for the best costume Sunday at the Ski For Women at Tsalteshi Trails. Her sumo wrestling costume also was undoubtedly… Continue reading

Sara Bundy (127), Mary King (121) and Patricia Berkhahn (125) lead a group of skiers Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, at the Ski For Women at Tsalteshi Trails. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kodiak’s Katrina Pruitt and Kenai Central’s Liz Hanson battle for the ball Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminak/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai girls, Kodiak boys get weekend sweep

The Kenai Central girls basketball team outscored Kodiak 15-2 over the last five minutes of the game for a 46-27 Northern Lights Conference victory at… Continue reading

Kodiak’s Katrina Pruitt and Kenai Central’s Liz Hanson battle for the ball Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at Kenai Central High School. (Photo by Jeff Helminak/Peninsula Clarion)
Judah Eason, of Ninilchik, wins the Senior Boys Alaskan High Kick on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Kenai Middle School at the 2018 Peninsula Winter Games Kenaizte Indian Tribe NYO Invitational. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

NYO tourney emphasizes community, sportsmanship

Imagine a high school basketball game in the closing seconds. A player steps to the line for a pair of foul shots with his team… Continue reading

Judah Eason, of Ninilchik, wins the Senior Boys Alaskan High Kick on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Kenai Middle School at the 2018 Peninsula Winter Games Kenaizte Indian Tribe NYO Invitational. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River’s Zach Krajnik, of Eagle River, prepares to dish to Emils Ezitis for the first goal of the game Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, against the Lone Star (Texas) Brahmas at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Brahmas sweep Brown Bears

Dan Wildfong, head coach of the Lone Star (Texas) Brahmas, said after his team’s 4-3 victory over the Kenai River Brown Bears on Friday that… Continue reading

Kenai River’s Zach Krajnik, of Eagle River, prepares to dish to Emils Ezitis for the first goal of the game Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, against the Lone Star (Texas) Brahmas at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Brahmas

So far, so good with the Kenai River Brown Bears’ plan to treat the rest of the North American Hockey League season as one long… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goaltender Gavin Enright attempts to reel in the puck ahead of a scrum of players Oct. 27, 2017, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears’ Enright makes most of opportunities

Some people get all the breaks. But nobody would even know who those people are if they didn’t make good on those opportunities. Take Kenai… Continue reading

Kenai River Brown Bears goaltender Gavin Enright attempts to reel in the puck ahead of a scrum of players Oct. 27, 2017, against the Minnesota Magicians at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai River forward Sacha Guillemain takes the puck up the ice Friday night against the Coulee Region (Wisconsin) Chill at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Brown Bears sweep Chill

The Kenai River Brown Bears earned maximum points in a crucial stretch of the North American Hockey League playoff chase Friday and Saturday, sweeping the… Continue reading

Kenai River forward Sacha Guillemain takes the puck up the ice Friday night against the Coulee Region (Wisconsin) Chill at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex. (Photo by Joey Klecka/Peninsula Clarion)

Series preview: Brown Bears vs. Chill

Kenai River Brown Bears head coach Josh Petrich has called for a greater sense of urgency from the coaching staff all the way through the… Continue reading

Staying home for high school pays off for Krajnik

Should I stay or should I go? That’s the question faced by many of Alaska’s top prep hockey players. Stay in Alaska and they don’t… Continue reading

When bad conditions become challenging conditions

“It is not competing against yourself, or against other athletes, but it is ultimately the mountain that wins. What you realize after a time is… Continue reading

Class 1A hoops preview: Nikolaevsk, Ninilchik lead the way into 2018

Husband and wife team Steve and Bea Klaich have built a basketball juggernaut in Nikolaevsk, and now just one man at rival Ninilchik will be… Continue reading

Nikolaevsk’s Elizabeth Fefelov holds off a steal attempt by Cook Inlet Academy’s Breona Delon on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at Cook Inlet Academy. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Nikolaevsk girls, boys sweep Classic titles

The Nikolaevsk boys basketball team wrapped up the Cook Inlet Classic title at Cook Inlet Academy in early and convincing fashion Friday, defeating Kodiak ESS… Continue reading

Nikolaevsk’s Elizabeth Fefelov holds off a steal attempt by Cook Inlet Academy’s Breona Delon on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at Cook Inlet Academy. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)