Hat trick sparks Hawks

SOLDOTNA — Tyler Chivers had a hat trick as the Hawks improved to 1-1 on the season with an 8-3 victory over the Kenai Kardinals in the Peninsula Ice Challenge on Friday.

Also for the Hawks, Kai Kingery had two goals and two assists, Isaac Smoldon had a goal and two assists, Blake Rogers and Hayden Chivers each had a goal and an assist, and Yuriy Natekin, Ree Humphreys and Andrew Natekin had two assists apiece.

But the biggest hero thus far this season for the Hawks may be goalie J.P. Nix, who is filling in for injured starter Josh Smoldon. Houston coach Mike Styers said Nix played some goalie in youth hockey, but the sophomore has had the gear on for just four practices for the Hawks.

Thursday, he made 42 saves in a 3-0 loss to Soldotna and Friday he had 16 saves.

Styers also liked the way freshman Sam Pike moved up to the third line to fill in for an injury. He said there are always things to work on in just the second game, like getting out of the defensive zone and learning where the defensemen should pinch, but overall he was happy with the improvement from the first game.

Kardinals coach Michael Tilly, whose team fell to 0-2 overall, said he was not dissatisfied with his club’s performance, but added that conditioning early in the season may have been a factor. The Kards were coming off an 8-7 overtime loss to Homer on Thursday.

“Our performance was not up to where it was last night,” Tilly said.

After a hat trick Thursday, Levi Mese put up two more goals Friday, with assists to Jakeb O’Brien and Brenna Eubank on the first goal and Matt Hagel on the second goal. O’Brien, assisted by Hagel, had the other goal for Kenai.

“He’s a talented skater and a talented shooter,” Tilly said of Mese. “We’re trying to find different combinations to help him find open ice. That’s where he does his best work.”

Tilly said a strong group of freshmen continued to learn what varsity hockey is like. He said the players are not used to playing against those so much older than them.

“The freshmen took a couple big hits tonight and kept their head and kept skating hard,” Tilly said.

With the group of freshmen, Tilly said the leadership of Hagel on defense and O’Brien up front continues to be important.

Ryan Williams made 31 saves for the Kardinals.

Friday

Stars 4, Mariners 3

Homer 0 0 3 —3

Soldotna 2 1 1 —4

First period — 1. Soldotna, Medcoff (Lockwood, Witthus), 2:03; 2. Soldotna, Brantley (un.), 4:12. Penalties — Homer 3 for 6:00; Soldotna 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 3. Soldotna, Brown (un.), 12:14. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 4. Homer, Kuzmin (Larson), 1:29; 5. Homer, Butcher (un.), 5:37; 6. Homer, Menke (Larson, McCarron), 6:18; 7. Soldotna, Brantley (J. Urban), 14:55. Penalties — Soldotna 3 for 6:00.

Shots on goal — Homer 3-5-15—23; Soldotna 13-11-17—41.

Goalies — Homer, Warren (41 shots, 37 saves); Soldotna, Yoder (23 shots, 20 saves).

Hawks 8, Kardinals 3

Houston 3 2 3 —8

Kenai 1 1 1 —3

First period — 1. Houston, Rogers (I. Smoldon), 1:04; 2. Houston, T. Chivers (Kingery, Y. Natekin), 11:12; 3. Kenai, Mese (O’Brien, Eubank), 12:46; 4. Houston, Kingery (Rogers, H. Chivers), 14:40. Penalties — Kenai 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 5. Houston, H. Chivers (I. Smoldon, Humphreys), 0:38; 6. Houston, Kingery (Humphreys), 7:16; 7. Kenai, O’Brien (Hagel), 14:21. Penalties — Houston 2 for 4:00; Kenai 3 for 6:00.

Third period — 8. Houston, T. Chivers (Kingery), 0:28; 9. Houston, I. Smoldon (A. Natekin), 1:25; 10. Houston, T. Chivers (A. Natekin, Y. Natekin), 5:26; 11. Kenai, Mese (Hagel), 11:29. Penalties — Kenai 2 for 4:00.

Shots on goal — Houston 17-11-11—39; Kenai 10-6-3—19.

Goalies — Houston, J.P. Nix (19 shots, 16 saves); Kenai, Williams (39 shots, 31 saves).