Knights fall in semis, Warriors eliminated during 2nd day of state hockey tourney

WASILLA — Following his team’s quarterfinal win over Dimond Thursday, as he looked ahead to the next opponent, Chugiak, Colony head coach Jamie Smith called the Mustangs the best team in the state.

Friday, the Mustangs made another case to be called Alaska’s top team. And thanks to a win over the Knights, Chugiak will have a chance to prove it.

Chugiak scored a 5-1 win over Colony during the semifinal round of the ASAA First National Cup at the Menard Arena in Wasilla. The Mustangs tallied a pair of goals in the first 52 seconds of play, including one 14 seconds into regulation, and used a four-goal first period to move into the 2017 state final where they will face Cook Inlet Conference rival South Anchorage Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Menard. Colony fell into the third-place game with the loss, and will play Eagle River Saturday at 2:30 p.m. South advanced to the title game with a 3-1 win over Eagle River later Friday evening.

Andrew Beckett , who notched a hat trick for the Mustangs, scored 14 seconds into play and Zach Krajink added a goal 38 seconds later to give the Mustangs the 2-0 lead. Beckett scored his second goal of the game at the 9:53 mark, and Zach Plucinski added a power play goal to give Chugiak the 4-0 lead before the teams hit the seven-minute mark of the first period.

Beckett completed his hat trick in the second period.

Jake Hessinger scored the lone goal for the Knights, who were in the semifinals for just the third time in the last two decades. Late in the second period, Hessinger sent an odd-angle shot from the left wing wall into the back of the net.

Chugiak outshot Colony 30-15 in the game.

Chugiak will skate in the 4A title game for the second consecutive year, and the Knights are in the third-place game for the second time in three years.

Chugiak’s opponent, South Anchorage, scored three unanswered goals to get the 3-1 win over Eagle River. The Wolves had led early, with Ben Rinckey’s goal at the 13:02 mark of the first, but a trio of Wolverines scored to give South the win.

Robert Trujillo and Skyler Gutierrez scored second-period goals, and Patrick Rush added a score late in the third.

Earlier in the day, Wasilla saw its season come to an end with a 2-1 loss to West Valley in the consolation semifinals. Porter Schachle scored to give Wasilla a lead late in the second period, but West Valley scored twice within 2:30 stretch of the third. Dylan Saveraide scored the game-winner with 9:20 left in the third.

In other action, Dimond blasted Juneau-Douglas 8-1. West Valley meets Dimond Saturday at noon in the fourth-place game.

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

Chugiak 5, Colony 1

4A state quarterfinals

Friday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Chugiak- Beckett (Krajnik, Hammer) 14:46; 2. Chugiak- Krajink (Beckett) 14:08; 3. Chugiak- Beckett (Krajnik, Hammer) 9:53; 4. Chugiak- Plucinski (Casey, Epple) pp 7:07.

Second period — 5. Chugiak- Beckett (Hammer) 5:35; 6. Colony- Hessinger (Riekena) 1:19.

Shots on goal: Colony 7-4-4—15, Chugiak 10-12-8—30; Saves: Colony- Diltz 0-x-x—0, Gamez 6-11-8—25.

West Valley 2, Wasilla 1

4A state consolation semifinals

Friday, Menard Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Wasilla- Schachle (Harren, Stephens) 1:08.

Third period — 2. West Valley- Loring (unassisted) 11:42; 3. West Valley- Sadler (Salveraide) 9:20.

Shots on goal: West Valley 3-2-10—15, Wasilla 7-10-7—24; Saves: West Valley- Simons 7-9-7—23, Wasilla- Campbell 3-2-8—13.