Malta's Negus Family Keeps Their Love of Hockey Going in Glasgow

The love of the sport of hockey has one local family driving 70 miles west to play their favorite sport in Glasgow for the Ice Dawgs.

The Negus Family currently has three members of their family playing in Glasgow's HiLine Youth Hockey Association including 12-year-old Hunter Negus (PeeWee), 11-year-old Alyssa Negus (PeeWee), and 10-year-old Brooke Negus (Squirt). Their father Jason Negus, a U.S. Border Patrolman is the head coach for the PeeWee team.

The PCN caught up with Hunter and his mother Sheri Negus, to talk about hockey and their commitment to the sport.

Though he hasn't had many games, Hunter, a center has played in a few games at a tournament in Sidney earlier this month.

Though teams have been taking turns playing at various tournaments throughout the state, regular season games do not start until the first week of December. Those games on December 3 and 4 will be an even further trek to Billings.

To meet practice requirements, the Negus family travels to Glasgow three times a week.

Prior to their move to Malta this past spring, the Negus family lived a few places including in Sault (pronounced Sue) Ste. Marie in Mich. where hockey and ice skating was abundant.

"They have four ice rinks in Sault Ste. Marie," Sheri said.

But Hunter, their third born and currently their oldest hockey player started six years ago, when the family lived in North Dakota.

"We took a couple of years off when we lived in Arizona," Sheri said.

When they lived in Arizona, Hunter wrestled for a couple of years. When the family moved to Mich. he was given a choice to wrestle or play hockey.

"He chose hockey," Sheri said. "He did wrestle in Arizona and loved it."

After one season in Detroit, the Negus family moved to New Mexico, where again, there was no hockey.

Finally, the family moved to Malta, and though Malta does not have hockey, the Negus family has chosen to make the most of things and head east so they can enjoy the game they love.

Hunter was asked how it felt to be back on the ice after missing it last year.

"It feels good," Hunter said. "I missed it."

He was asked what he loved so much about the sport.

"I love scoring a lot," Hunter said. "The teammates. It's a physical sport too and it's on ice."

Currently playing as a PeeWee with sister Alyssa, checking is not allowed. Youth hockey players are not allowed to check until they reach the Bantam level, which Hunter will play next season.

"He has checked people and then he ends up in the penalty box for two minutes," Sheri said.

Being his mother, Sheri was asked what it is like seeing her son play on the ice.

"He is definitely a different kid on the ice," Sheri said. "Off the ice, he is calm. He is very kind and cares about people around him, but on the ice, he is all about the sport."

She said that he will protect his goalie, which is a big part of the sport.

"The other teams like to get on the goalie and he will be right in there, between the other player and the goalie to make sure that he stays safe," Sheri said. "He throws his body in front of the puck if he can't get there with his stick. He sacrifices his body to stop a goal."

She said that she has seen him belly slide on occasion to stop a goal.

Hunter was asked if his classmates give him any grief considering he plays for Glasgow.

He said that every once in a while someone might say something, but it's not bad because Malta doesn't have a hockey team.

On the other side, in Glasgow, the team has accepted the Negus family.

"The team becomes a family," Sheri said. "The team becomes a family whether they know each other outside of school or not. They have accepted them into the team, without having to prove anything."

Several families from town have played hockey in Glasgow. Current athletes include Hudson and Landon Honey.

Hunter was asked who his favorite pro team is and that is without a doubt, the Detroit Red Wings. Detroit's Dylan Larkin, a Captain, who plays center, is his favorite player.

Sheri was asked about Jason, her husband coaching. He was unavailable because he was hunting.

"He loves coaching," Sheri said. "He has always coached since we started in North Dakota. He doesn't know how to be on the sidelines. He has to be in there directing them. I think Hunter does really well with his father as a coach too."

Sheri said that Jason does not play favorites with his kids as a coach.

"He is a bit harder on them, which I think makes them work harder," Sheri said.

Jason played during his high school years at Woodhaven High School, in Michigan. He was a forward that played the left wing position.

Their older children Olivia and Hunter Jr. both played in past years, but didn't stay with it after the move to Arizona.

Malta has an ice rink near the cemetery, and the Negus family has expressed interest in helping maintain the ice, if there was enough interest.