Big weekend for Valley hockey

WASILLA — All four Valley prep hockey teams are in action during the final weekend of the regular season.

The big weekend includes a two-game series in the Greatland Conference that will decide the top 2 seeds in the upcoming Division II state tournament.

The Houston Hawks head north to face Monroe Catholic Friday at 6:15 p.m. at the Big Dipper and Saturday at 10:45 a.m. at the UAF Patty Center. Both Houston and Monroe skate into the series undefeated in Greatland play. The rivals, who have faced off in the last three small-schools state championship games and four of the last five, have not met this season.

“We’re feeling good,” Houston head coach Mike Styers said after a 5-1 win over Palmer Monday night. “I’ve seen Monroe play. They’re a good team. But I think we have the advantage on them.”

Styers said keeping the games against Monroe close is key for Houston.

“If we come out and play our game, play a little physical, we definitely have a good chance,” Styers said. “Definitely not saying by no means we are blowing them out or anything, but we’ll definitely be in there with them. I’m confident.”

Houston is in search of its sixth straight trip to the Division II title game. Monroe beat Houston 3-0 in the title game last year.

The Hawks and Rams have met during the final regular season for the last three years.

“Some ways it’s good, some ways it’s bad,” Styers said the potential of meeting Monroe during consecutive weekends. “A couple of years ago I thought we had the nod. We played the weekend before. They were able to learn a couple of new things, they made some adjustments. We played them tough two games, then we kind of let down in the state championship.”

Regardless of the outcomes this weekend, the Hawks and Rams have clinched the top 2 seeds and a first-round bye in the Division II state tournament, which starts Feb. 1 at the Big Lake Recreation Center. The top seed meets the winner of the matchup between the fourth and fifth seeds Feb. 2 at 7 p.m., and the second seeds faces the winner of the third-sixth game Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m.

The championship game is slated for Feb. 3 at 5 p.m.

In the North Star Conference, Wasilla will play on back-to-back nights, with hopes of securing a top-2 seed in the NSC Championships, which start Feb. 1 in Soldotna. The Warriors face Colony Friday at 7 p.m. at the Menard Arena and host Palmer Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Brett.

As of Thursday, Colony stood in first at 8-1-0, followed by Homer at 7-2-0. Wasilla skates into the weekend third at 6-2-0, with Palmer at fourth at 3-6-0. Homer played Kenai Thursday.

Colony locks up the No. 1 seed in the upcoming tournament with a win over Wasilla Friday. With Wasilla wins over Colony and Palmer and a Homer victory over Kenai, there would be a three-way tie at the top of the NSC. Palmer is the No. 4 seed regardless of what happens this weekend.

For more on the Division II state tournament and the NSC Championships, see the Jan. 31 edition of the Frontiersman.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.