PHOTOS: Flathead Fusion Flames battle Missoula Bruins in senior night game
KELSEY EVANS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 months AGO
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Nolan Middleton flattens an opponent at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flames at the end of Saturday night's game. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Flathead Fusion's Wyatt Howard on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Flathead Fusion's Cody Tveidt on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Flathead Fusion's Cash Phillips (25) on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Flathead Fusion's Martin Christiansen on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Flathead Fusion goalie Isaac Middleton on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion varsity hockey team faced the Missoula Bruins at the Stumptown Ice Down Saturday, Jan. 31.
The Flames honored nine graduating seniors, eight of whom attend Whitefish High School.
It was a tough game, with the Bruins outscoring the Flames 8-1. The night prior, the Flames won against Great Falls 3-1. On Sunday they played in a Bruins rematch, falling 6-5.
The Flames will have a chance for redemption against the Bruins, on Feb. 21 in Missoula. They’ll face the Billings Bulls Feb. 27 and the Havre Ice Hawks on Feb. 28. The state tournament is March 13-15 in Missoula.
The Fusion seniors:
Nolan Middleton, Whitefish, started playing hockey at a try hockey for free event when he was eight, and is now a strong defender. He’s interested in trade school in Bozeman.
Isaac Middleton, Whitefish, followed his twin onto the ice and quickly became a natural goalie. Next year he plans to go to Bozeman to study Sciences at MSU.
Oren Grossman, Whitefish, started playing hockey around age seven in Jackson, Wyoming before moving to Whitefish to be an Avalanche. He is known for being a physical player on the ice and level-headed off. He hopes to play rec hockey at MSU and is interested in medicine.
Cody Tveidt, Whitefish, started skating with his dad at Stumptown Ice Den when he was three years old. By five, he played for the Avalanche. He plans to attend MSU.
Cash Phillips, Whitefish, is a team captain. He started playing hockey at the age of four in Brisbane, Australia, and moved to Whitefish in 2021. He plans to study mechanical engineering at MSU or a Canadian university and keep playing hockey.
Harrison Trufant, Whitefish, has been playing hockey since age eight, competing with the Glacier Hockey Association, the Montana Wolves, and travel teams across the United States and Canada. He plans to head to MSU.
Hunter Rep, Flathead High School, started hockey like a true Minnesotan, learning on his neighborhood pond. He moved to Montana in 2021 and this year, took on a new challenge playing forward. He hopes to attend business or trades school.
Luke Craig, Whitefish, is an alternate team captain. He has played since the age of four, including many years for the Glacier Avalanche and a few in Vermont. He has been recovering from an injury sustained during a tournament in Trail, British Columbia. His plans after graduation are undecided.
Liam Alves, Whitefish, started hockey at four years old in Falmouth, Massachusetts, with his dad Mike coaching. He moved to Whitefish in sixth grade and was welcomed by the Avalanche. He plans to attend MSU and is interested in law.
Nolan Middleton flattens an opponent at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flames at the end of Saturday night's game. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Flathead Fusion's Wyatt Howard on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Flathead Fusion's Cody Tveidt on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Flathead Fusion's Cash Phillips (25) on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Flathead Fusion's Martin Christiansen on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
The Flathead Fusion Flames face the Missoula Bruins at Stumptown Ice Den on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish PIlot)
Flathead Fusion goalie Isaac Middleton on Saturday, Jan. 31. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
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