Prep hockey: Sophomore nets winner in final minute to lead Warriors

EAGLE RIVER — Brett Keene’s first goal of the year certainly came at a great time for the Wasilla Warriors.

The sophomore forward poked a loose puck into the net with 43 seconds left in regulation to give the Warriors a 2-1 win over the Chugiak Mustangs at the McDonald Center in Eagle River on Tuesday.

“He came through with a big one,” Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant said of Keene. “We put a shot on the net, and he drove hard.”

Sturdevant said he was pleased to see the Warriors continue the push late into the game.

“I was glad to see us continue to drive to the net,” Sturdevant said.

Wendell Harren also scored and goalie Zach Eastham stopped 17 Chugiak shots to help the Warriors improve to 5-5-0 overall.

Michael Johnston and Eric Johnson grabbed assists on the Keene game-winner.

After a scoreless first period, Harrren scored in the second period to give Wasilla the lead but Mustangs captain Sam Linder scored later during that middle frame to tie the score at 1.

That Linder score was the only goal allowed by Eastham, a sophomore goalie who continues to improve, Sturdevant said.

“This is the 10th game, and every game he’s played it seems like he’s getting more relaxed and more settled,” Sturdevant said. “(Early in the season) it looked like he had the jitters, and was burning a lot of calories moving around. But it seems like he’s more relaxed.”

Wasilla games rescheduled

WASILLA — A pair of high school hockey games postponed last month due to school cancellations caused by poor weather have been rescheduled.

Colony will face Wasilla Dec. 14 at 3:15 p.m. at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

Houston will now face Wasilla Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. at the Menard.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.