EAST ALTON — It might not win any beauty contests, but Alton High’s second-to-last regular season hockey game before the postseason will go down in the victory column.

Alton led from start to finish and knocked off an undermanned Highland team 5-2 in Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association late-night action Thursday at the East Alton Ice Arena.

“We got a win. It wasn’t the prettiest game,” Alton coach Steven Campbell said. “But I’m happy to have another win in the reseed.”

Alton is 4-13-3 and will face Belleville Monday in the regular-season finale. Then the Redbirds will set their sights on the league’s Class 1A playoffs, which will begin in February following a break for the annual MVCHA All-Star Games.

The Class 1A All-Star Game is set for Jan. 30 with the Class 2A All0-Star Game on Jan. 31. Both games will be at the East Alton Ice Arena.

The Redbirds led 3-1 after the first period Thursday and never looked back. Bryce Simon had a natural hat trick, sandwiched between goals from teammates Jacob Hendrickson and Shawn Grizzle.

Hendrickson opened the Redbirds scoring at 9:19 of the first, assisted by Mark Vitalli and Grizzle.

Then Simon went to work. His first goal, at 6:42, made it 2-0 for the Redbirds. He was assisted by Tanner St. Peters.

Highland’s Devin Korte cut the Redbirds’ lead to 2-1 with a goal at 3:16, from assists from Brock Troxell and Ryker Grove. But Simon’s second goal, with 30 seconds left in the first period, made it 3-1. He was assisted by Jack Sumner and St. Peters.

In the second period, Simon’s third goal came at 9:56 and made it 4-1 for the Redbirds. He was assisted by Sumner.

In the third period, Alton’s Grizzle scored from assists by Hunter Goodman and Jacob Eppel to make it 5-1 before Highland’s Korte scored at 3:22 from an assist by Troxell.

Alton outshot the Bulldogs 12-10 in the first period, but for the game, Highland outshot the Redbirds 31-23.

“We played good the first period,” Campbell said, “and we took a step back in the second.”

Highland (4-13-3) played the game with a short bench. Just eight players dressed.

“Hats off to Highland,” Campbell said. “Even though they played with only eight players, they played us very tough.”

With the regular season finale coming up Monday, Campbell said it’s clear what his team needs to do as it prepares for the postseason.

“It’s our last game before the playsss,” he said, “We have to play hard and make better choices with the puck.”

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