The Whitehorse Huskies are out their top defenceman and an unblemished record after a weekend series against the Kelowna Sparta.

The Huskies won the first game of the series Friday in blow-out fashion, 11-7 before dropping an overtime thriller to the Sparta Saturday afternoon 5-4.

“I think the games went really well,” said Huskies coach Michael Tuton.

The Huskies opened play Saturday with a bang, and were up 2-0 just nine minutes into the game thanks to goals from Adam Henderson and newly-minted captain Derek Klassen.

Going into the second period, the Huskies were down 3-2 after the Sparta answered with three goals of their own.

Coming onto the ice for the second period, the Huskies started fast, with Kevin Petovello evening things up 13 seconds into play and pulling ahead 4-3 another 30 seconds later.

Klassen added another as Henderson rounded out his hat trick and Petovello grabbed a hat trick of his own.

With the blitz of goals scored in the second, six to the Sparta’s two, the Huskies pulled ahead going into the third.

Henderson added another here, along with Kane Dawe and Ted Stephens.

The offensive line of Klassen, Petovello and Stephens is proving to be a remarkable scoring threat.

In that Friday night game, they combined for six of the Huskies’ 11 goals, with Henderson accounting for four on his own and Dawe adding the other.

Unfortunately, a clean hip check along the boards has top defenceman and assistant captain Jared Tuton out indefinitely.

Colin Dendys is also on the injured list after being on the receiving end of a slash to his hand.

Tyrell Hope also sat out Saturday’s game after a tough hit Friday night.

“He got his bell rung a little bit too,” said Tuton.

The Huskies took advantage of the Sparta’s travel day and with the Huskies’ last games coming almost two months ago (a two-game sweep agains the Bonnyville Sr Pontiacs), they were due for a game.

“These guys get excited to play,” he said of the high-scoring game.

Saturday afternoon’s run was a different story, as the Huskies struggled to get on the board.

Without Tuton, Hope and Dendys in the line-up, they filled the roster out with Jon Rudolph, who’s a big presence on the ice, Shane McHugh and Matt Dickson.

Tuton said he thought the team’s grit and character showed during the game.

They relied on the scoring line of Klassen, Petovello and Stephens.

Klassen stepped up, getting the team on the board early in the second. They tied the game up in the third and moved ahead with goals from Stephens, Dawe and Petovello, but were unable to hold onto the lead and the game went into overtime.

A controversial call early in overtime had some Huskies fans fuming after a no-goal was called, when it was ruled that the net was off when it was scored.

The Huskies held on through four-versus-four action, even when they lost Stephens to the box for a two-minute slashing penalty with just over three minutes left in the extra time.

The Sparta scored the game-winner with only 40 seconds left to end the Huskies’ three-game winning streak.

The Huskies will play an exhibition game on Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. against the All Out Hockey team, featuring Dylan Cozens, Craig Berube, Alex Hanson, Wyatt Gale and Lukas Jirousek.

Admission to the game is by monetary donation or a toy donation. All proceeds will go to Kaushee’s Place.

The Huskies will host the Coy Cup, B.C. Hockey’s top senior men’s AA tournament March 28 -April 1, but still need to play two games to qualify.

NOTES: JJ Gainsforth started in goal for the Huskies.”JJ did a good job squaring up to the puck,” said Tuton.