Lynx use late goals to stun Wasilla in state hockey semis

The Wasilla Warriors were on a quest for their second trip to the state championship game in the last three years, but perennial power Dimond used a late goal to kill Wasilla’s hopes.

Dimond’s Joseph Hampton found the back of the net with 17.6 seconds in regulation to break a tie and the Lynx added an insurance goal en route to a 5-3 win over the Warriors during the ASAA/First National Cup Division I State Hockey Championships semifinals Friday night at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

Dimond, which edged Wasilla 2-1 in the 2022 state title game, will now face big city rival West Anchorage Saturday at 5 p.m. in the 2024 championship. Wasilla will play South Anchorage in the third-place match Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Branson Starheim, Sterling Myers and Mason Holler scored goals for Wasilla. Starheim’s goal tied the score at 1 midway through the second. Myers and Holler used goals to set up a 3-3 tie in the third.

Holler led Wasilla with a three-point night, a goal and two assists.

Dimond outshot the Warriors 40-20. Bodey Davis made 35 saves for Wasilla.

Wasilla was the No. 2 seed in the bracket.

Colony rebounded from a 3-2 loss to Dimond in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Service in the consolation semifinals Friday. Jacob Seeard-Jenski and Aidan Finch scored for the Knights. Finch netted the game-winner with 12:01 left in the third.

Jamon O’Bryan made 18 saves for the Knights.

Colony will face Chugiak Saturday at noon in the fourth-place game. Chugiak beat West Valley 5-2 in the other consolation semifinal.

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