Malemutes ice game late

WASILLA — Whether it was early or late, things just seemed to get away from the Wasilla Warriors during the first two days of the state tournament.

On Thursday, South Anchorage tagged Wasilla with an early goal and rode that momentum to a 7-0 quarterfinal win. The following morning, Lathrop capitalized on late opportunities to preserve a victory over Wasilla.

The Malemutes scored three times in the third to grab a 7-4 win over the Warriors during the consolation semifinals of the 2011 First National Cup 4A state hockey championships at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena Friday morning.

“I thought at the end of the third period we lost our composure, took a couple of bad penalties,” Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant said.

All three of Lathrop’s third-period goals came in the final 4 minutes and 29 seconds, and only one of those goals was even-strength.

Anders Carlson broke away to score at the 4:29 mark to give Lathrop the 5-2 lead. Colton Wolter showed accuracy burying a long empty-netter, and Carlson added a 5-on-3 goal with just 40 seconds left in regulation.

Take away the empty-netter and power-play goal and the Warriors are looking at a one-goal game.

Junior captain Chancie Hanson blasted a shot from the right point to cut Lathrop’s lead to 5-3 at the 4:03 mark. With less than three minutes to go, the Warriors called a time out. When Wasilla returned to the ice to set up for the draw in the Lathrop defensive zone, the Warriors showed the empty net and extra attacker. Wolter was able to steal the puck away in his own zone and lifted a shot with pinpoint accuracy nearly the length of the ice.

“If you give him time like that with the empty net he’s going to hit it every time,” Sturdevant said of the goal, which gave back Lathrop the three-goal lead.

Trailing by three late, the Warriors didn’t shy away. Sturdevant pulled his goalie again. This time Wasilla cashed in.

Hanson sent in another shot from the point, and senior Mike Edwards deflected the puck in to cut Lathrop’s lead to 6-4.

“I liked the way we worked, they made a game out of it,” Sturdevant said.

Lathrop was able to jump out to the early lead. Wolter, who finished with two goals and two assists, powered his way up the left wing and flipped a shot from the bottom of the circle into the net. Late in the first, captain Alex Timchak scored on the power play to give the Malemutes the 2-0 lead.

But despite the deficit, Wasilla was able to tie it up. Sophomore Brett Keene scored twice during a four-minute span to tie the score at 2.

Midway through the middle frame Keene snapped a shot from the left wing circle to cut Lathrop’s lead in half. Later in the period, Keene converted on a breakaway. Keene could have realistically notched the natural hat trick in the period. He had a near miss on another breakaway. Regardless, Sturdevant said it might be a breakout performance for the underclassman.

“Hopefully that’s a turning point for him, give him some confidence going into next year,” Sturdevant said. “He showed flashes all season.”

Keene’s scoring helped Wasilla create a new game in the second period.

“I thought we really responded there in the second,” Sturdevant said. “(Keene) wasn’t the only one to have some really good chances.”

Lathrop 7, Wasilla 4

2011 First National Cup consolation semifinals

Friday, Menard Arena

First period – 1. Lathrop- C. Wolter (unassisted) 8:50; 2. Lathrop- Timchak (C. Wolter) pp 2:24.

Second period – 3. Wasilla- Keene (Workman) pp 7:02; 4. Wasilla- Keene (McRee) 3:15; 5. Lathrop- Carlson (Timchak) 2:32; 6. Lathrop- Trickey (Soderlund) 1:11.

Third period – 7. Lathrop- Carlson (Co. King) 4:29; 8. Wasilla- Ch. Hanson (Johnston) 4:03; 9. Lathrop- C. Wolter (unassisted) en 2:34; 10. Wasilla- Edwards (Ch. Hanson) pp ea 2:18; 11. Lathrop- Carlson (C. Wolter, Timchak) pp 0:40.

Shots on goal: Lathrop 13-13-8—26, Wasilla 7-10-9—26; Saves: Lathrop- Brown 7-8-7—22, Wasilla- Eastham 11-11-5—27.