Sun Valley outshines Moose
By DAVID LARSON<br><i>The Wood River Journal ~ Sun Valley</i>
The sun shines in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
	The Sun Valley Suns, playing their biggest rivals for the first time this year, improved their amazing start to the hockey season with wins of 5-3 and 5-4, showing the Moose that the sun shines bright.
	Head coach Chris Benson and his gang of puck hitters sit at 10-0 after a weekend in Wyoming that saw exciting games both Friday and Saturday nights.
	"We started out a little slow Friday night," Benson said. "But we turned it up a little. I think we still had our bus legs when we started but we started moving our legs a little more."
	The 4-5 hour bus ride didn't affect the Suns too much, as they were even with the Moose at 0 after just one period. And after the second, Benson's boys led 3-2. 
	Just six minutes into the always-crucial third, they tied it up at three. With star player Ivars Muzis out with an injury, someone would have to step up. The question, however, was who? Enter first-year Sun Jami James. James lasered in the game-winner, from an assist by John Stevens and John Duval. So while Ryan Thomson manned up in the net and the game all but over, Jamie Ellison added his name to the stat book with an empty-net goal, giving the team a 5-3 first game victory.
	Saturday proved to be more of the same, though this time Sun Valley jumped out to a cushy 2-1 lead, courtesy of some sweet goals by Adam Swain and Trevor Thomas. In the second period, the Suns got one more while giving up two, making it 3-3 going into the third, the Suns' goal coming from Ryan McDonald. The Moose would respond with a goal of their own, going up 4-3. The Suns then tied it up on a power play and the fans in attendance were thinking overtime. Not so.
	Ellison would make like a hero and tie it on a power play and then the game-winner on another power play with seven minutes left. It was too much too fast for the Moose, and the Suns would never look back.
	"All around I think it was a great team effort," Benson said. "We had great passes by (Chris) Warrington and a nice one from (Ryan) Enrico on the other power play."
	And so now the Suns sit at 10-0, ready to take on The Beacon Hill Club, from New Jersey. But first, Benson couldn't help but gush about what just transpired.
	"The boys are playing really well, it's always nice to go on the road and sweep a team in their own barn. It's not what it was two or three years ago. There's no idiotness. It was great hockey."	
	After Beacon Hill visits, the Suns play the Seattle Indians, a team that's won nationals and should give Benson and Co. a run for their money. But not to worry, Sun Valley appears headed in the right direction. Just ask Benson to rate his team from 1-10.
	"I'd probably give them an 8 1/2, maybe a 9. We're not quite hitting on all cylinders but we're pretty close. After last weekend, we'll work on some things in practice. I'm happy."