Hockey squad nets three-peat

ANCHORAGE -- One local amateur hockey team is building quite the little dynasty.

The local squad, sponsored by Valley Hospital, defeated ReMax of Anchorage 3-0 in the title game of the state women's hockey championship to win its third straight state crown.

The squad was forced to skate down a tough road en route to its third title, as they played back-to-back games on the final day of the tournament. Valley Hospital downed the Carey-Holmes squad 3-2 late in the evening, and just minutes later faced ReMax in the championship game.

"Back to back," said Diane Firmani, who notched an assist in the championship game. "We played one game, they zambonied the ice; we played the next game."

Organizers of the tournament argued travel was taken into consideration when the schedule was made and the Mat-Su team played in the title game right after the semifinal contest. The Valley Hospital squad is the lone Mat-Su team in a field of Anchorage and Eagle River programs.

Despite the constipated thinking of the schedule-makers, Firmani said her squad handled the set of games well.

"Our little motto is 'Do what you gotta do'," Firmani said.

Firmani said Carey-Holmes, a squad not nearly as strong as the Mat-Su team, gave Valley Hospital a run in the semifinal game.

"Coming back, we were ready to play," Firmani said.

"We felt strong."

Shelly Eller led Valley Hospital with a pair of goals in the title game, and Marjie Landis-Beck supplied the Mat-Su squad with, what Firmani described as, outstanding goaltending.

Laura Frank also scored for Valley Hospital, while Firmani, Carla Williams and Maribeth Weeks registered assists.

Firmani also said Valley Hospital was able to win the title without the services of Jeannie Hebert-Truax.

Hebert-Truax, a star center for the squad who also serves as the head girls' basketball coach at Wasilla High School, missed the tournament due to illness.

Firmani said most of the Valley Hospital team has skated together for the last five years, and the core of the team has been together for more than a decade.

The squad also features a wide range of players with athletes in their teens to early 50s.