Knights win, Warriors and Moose fall in hockey Friday

WASILLA — Persistence paid off for the Soldotna Stars Friday.

Despite falling behind in the first period and managing only a pair of third-period shots, the Stars fought back to earn a 3-2 overtime win over the Wasilla Warriors Friday at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

And it was the persistent play of Nick Wrobel and his linemates that allowed the Stars to celebrate after the victory. Wrobel, in the middle of a flurry of action in front of the Warriors net, knocked in a rebound with 2 minutes and 33 seconds left in the tiebreaker to give the Stars the win.

“It was a big pile down there. He happened to get a stick on it and get it in. It was a great play for him,” Soldotna head coach Aaron Swanson said of Wrobel’s goal after the win.

Just prior to the goal, SoHi’s Bobo Lott won a battle behind the Warrior net, pulled a puck off the back boards and sent a centering pass. Ty Fenton put the initial shot on goal. Wasilla freshman netminder Wyatt Monear made the save, but Wrobel was able to knock the rebound in.

“Just getting the puck in front of the net and making something happen,” Swanson said of the play.

The goal came only moments after Wasilla had two prime chances to bag the game-winner. SoHi senior goalie Cody Harvey made two big saves to keep the game tied. Wasilla senior Cooper Hanson snapped a wrister from the right wing circle. Harvey blocked the shot, but left the rebound at the doorstep. Junior Tanner Schachle came in and put a shot on, but Harvey was able to get his pad in front of the puck.

Harvey’s big overtime stops came after his 22 saves through regulation.

The Soldotna win came a day after suffering a 3-0 loss to Colony. The Knights victory gave Colony the two-game series sweep over the Stars. But Friday, with the 3-2 win over Wasilla, Soldotna took the two-game season series against the Warriors. Soldotna blanked Wasilla 3-0 earlier in the season.

“The loss to Colony was a big one. It did give them a series sweep for the season. To lose those points hurts us, but to have the advantage over Wasilla kind of turns it back around and helps us,” Swanson said.

Wasilla has been super against North Star Conference competition this season. But Soldotna has been the Warriors’ kryptonite. Through action Friday, Wasilla stands at 5-0 against NSC teams other than Soldotna, averaging five goals per game against those other teams. The Warriors have not allowed more than a goal in a game against any other conference foe. But the Warriors are now 0-2 against the Stars. Swanson said he feels his team matches up well against Wasilla, the defending NSC champions.

“I think we do. I think we’re a team where our defense is the strength from the net out,” Swanson said. “Goaltending first, and our defense is real strong.”

Swanson said while many of the other teams in the conference have high-scoring offenses, Soldotna has relied on team defense and has success in low-scoring games.

Wasilla took the late in the first period with Schachle’s power-play goal. Defenseman Andrew Cooley sent a pass between the circles to forward Jack Reeves.

Reeves skated between the circles and put a shot on goal. Harvey lost control of the rebound, and Schachle tapped the loose puck in.

Soldotna scored a pair of power-play goals early in the second period to take a lead. Jake O’Lena tied the score just inside the second period, hammering home a rebound of a Preston Weeks shot. Less than three minutes later, with the Stars back on the power play, Toma Johnson sent a sharp pass across the zone to the right wing circle where Kenny Griffen put a puck into the upper shelf of the net.

Wasilla tied the score late in the second period with a Hanson goal. Hanson knocked in a rebound after an Adam Apangalook shot.

Wasilla dropped to 5-2 in NSC play with the loss, and into a first-place tie with Colony.

Soldotna 3, Wasilla 2 OT

Friday, Brett Arena

First period — 1. Wasilla- Schachle (Reeves, Cooley) pp 0:42.

Second period — 2. Soldotna- O’Lena (Weeks) pp 13:31; 3. Soldotna- Griffen (Johnson, Wrobel) 10:38; 4. Wasilla- Hanson (Apangalook) 6:42.

Third period — no scoring.

Overtime — 5. Soldotna- Wrobel (Fenton, B. Lott) 2:33.

Knights blank another opponent

WASILLA — Another day, another shutout against a Peninsula rival for the Colony Knights.

Colony struck four times in the first period and held on for a 4-0 win over the Kenai Kardinals at the Menard Arena Friday night.

Jacob Kirsch and Mark Thygeson each scored just more than a minute apart early in the first to give the Knights a two-goal lead. Gunner Stadem and Jacob Link tallied goals less than two minutes apart midway through the first to extend Colony’s lead to four goals.

The four-goal first period helped Colony improve to 5-2 in North Star Conference play, and moved into a tie with Wasilla (5-2) at the top of the region.

Senior Colton Beebe stopped 27 shots to earn the win and record his second straight shutout. Beebee and the Knights blanked the Soldotna Stars 3-0 on Thursday.

Colony forced Kenai starting netminder Justin Alvey out of the game, scoring three goals within the first nine minutes of regulation. Reserve Nate O’Lena stopped 22 of the 23 CHS shots he faced.

Colony 4, Kenai 0

Friday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Colony- Kirsch (Vincent, Stadem) 11:51; 2. Colony- Thygeson (unassisted) 10:46; 3. Colony- Stadem (Sanders) 7:39; 4. Colony- Link (Eller, Stadem) 6:07.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — no scoring.

Shots on goal: Kenai 7-11-9—27, Colony 14-6-9—29; Saves: Kenai- Alvey 3-x-x—3, O’Lena 7-6-9—22.

Mariners get past Moose

PALMER — Sparked by a three-goal first period, Homer scored a 5-3 win over Palmer Friday at the MTA Events Center.

Homer added goals in the second and third periods to score their first win of the season over a Valley North Star Conference opponent.

Valary Dietz scored to put the Moose on the scoreboard in the second period. Chris Dojka and Hayden Moister added third-period goals for Palmer, which fell to 0-6-1 in conference play.

Homer outshot Palmer 36-28. Cody Grogan made 31 saves for Palmer.