Prep hockey: Pressure leads Warriors to lead over Moose

Jan. 26, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdavant believes his Warrior hockey squad has been building toward what he saw during a 3-1 North Star Conference win over Palmer at the Palmer Ice Arena on Tuesday.

The Warriors peppered the Moose goal with 47 shots, and stayed in position to grab the region's second seed in next week's North Star Conference tournament.

&#8220I think it's kind of a culmination of what we've been telling these guys to do all year,” Sturdavant said. &#8220This is what I envisioned for the team at the start of the year.”

Junior Dane Wilson scored twice and freshman Matthew Friese posted another goal, as Wasilla improved to

7-2-0 in region play.

&#8220We couldn't afford to lose this game,” Wilson said. &#8220There was no way.”

Wasilla earned the win, despite a stellar effort from Palmer senior goaltender Jim Isaacs.

&#8220Jim Isaacs played phenomenal,” Sturdavant said. &#8220He's definitely the backbone of that team.”

Each of Wasilla's three offensive lines was able to put pressure on Isaacs and the Moose net. The Warriors felt the key was simply to keep moving.

&#8220Every shift we came out hard, and kept moving our feet,” Wilson said.

Wilson gave Wasilla the 1-0 lead, scoring with just more than three minutes to go in the first period.

Wasilla senior captain Sam Thomas picked up the puck behind his own blueline, and skated into the Palmer zone. Thomas sent the puck forward to linemate Brian Turner, who stood just to the right of Isaacs. Turner promptly passed the puck across the crease to Wilson, who was able to sneak the a shot into the net.

Wasilla took advantage of a pair of Palmer turnovers on its final two scores.

In the second period, Friese intercepted a pass right in front of the Palmer net and rifled a short slap shot past Isaacs.

Later in the middle frame, Wilson picked up a loose puck in front of a Palmer blueliner, and sent a short pass to Herbie Mansavage. From there, Mansavage put a shot on goal. Isaacs reached and made a save, but the rebound trickled out in front of the net. Wilson was right there to poke a shot by Isaacs, who was still stretched out on the ice.

&#8220When you play a good goalie, regardless of who it is, you're not going to find any easy goals,” Sturdavant said. &#8220You're going to have to make him move. That's what I kept telling my guys.”

Dylan Danielowski provided Palmer's lone score.

In the second period, Danielowski cut Wasilla's lead to 2-1 when he flipped a puck past Warrior goaltender Jesse Hugli.

Wasilla's junior goalie stopped 21 shots in the win.

Palmer was able to put 22 shots on goal, but unlike Wasilla, the Moose were not able to hold sustained pressure on opposing net.

&#8220This Wasilla team is ultra fast,” Palmer head coach Dino Pagano said. &#8220They cycle the puck really well, and we had problems defensively down low tonight.”

Pagano's squad has a few significant holes in the

lineup.

Forward Dylan Schindele hurt his shoulder and is out of the lineup and defensman Andrew Furgeson suffered a broken collarbone during Palmer's recent road trip to the Kenai Peninsula. Defensman Bruce Houchen is also not available.

Pagano said he does not want to make excuses and a few freshman, notably James Blakeman and Tyler Isaacs have stepped in and are playing well, but the losses of those varsity veterans hurt.

The Valley pucks squads have one more weekend of regular season action before the conference tournament.

On Friday, Wasilla hosts Colony at the Menard Memorial Arena. On Saturday, Palmer meets Colony at the Palmer Ice Arena.

The NSC tourney starts next Thursday at the Palmer Arena. The bracket is expected to be released on Monday.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.