Prep hockey: T-Birds stun Warriors in Menard tourney final

WASILLA — East Anchorage senior defenseman Kyle Little scored with 44 seconds remaining in regulation to lift the Thunderbirds to a 4-3 win over Wasilla in the championship game of the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Hockey Tournament at the Menard Memorial Arena in Wasilla on Saturday.

East erased an early 2-0 lead by the Warriors, with two goals in the second and another in the third. But Wasilla sophomore Matthew Friese tied the game at 3-3 midway through the third period.

Friese stood strong in front of the net, and after a hard slapshot from the point by older brother Adam Friese, Matthew Friese deflected a puck past East netminder Adrian Oehrlein. Blueliner Derek Ostrom also assisted on the play.

Wasilla took a 1-0 lead at the 12:33 mark of the first period, with an Adam Friese score.

Alone in front of the net, Adam Friese took a quick pass from Matthew Friese and lifted the puck over the shoulder of Oehrlein.

Just less than five minutes later, Wasilla senior Joe Barkley ripped a slapshot from between the circles and scored to give the Warriors the two-goal advantage.

Wasilla dropped to 2-3 with the loss, but all three of the Warriors’ losses have come against difficult competition from the traditionally tough Cook Inlet Conference.

Chugiak and West Anchorage skated past the Warriors last week.

“We started out with two losses, but we played good teams. I’d rather start out doing that and get better,” Adam Friese said after the Warriors’ 6-0 win over the Lathrop Malemutes on Thursday.

Wasilla’s victory against Lathrop in the Menard quarterfinals was the Warriors’ first win of the season. In the win, the deep and experienced Warriors squad showed what they are capable of.

In addition to scoring six times, WHS finished 3-for-4 on the power play and killed all six of Lathrop’s power-play opportunities.

Adam Friese set up two Matthew Friese goals in the second period, senior Dane Wilson and freshman Trent Wohlers scored on the power play and senior Brian Turner and junior Levi Johnston also added goals.

Junior Jesse Hugli stopped all 18 LHS shots to record his first shutout of the year.

On Friday, Wasilla scored twice in the final two minutes to earn a tough 3-1 win over Houston in the Menard semifinals.

After Houston freshman Micah Ranum tied the score at 1-1 with 2:05 left in regulation, Johnston and Barkley found the back of the net within a 16-second span to give Wasilla its second win of the season and a shot to play for the Menard title.

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

Wasilla 6, Lathrop 0

Menard Tournament quarterfinals

Thursday, Menard Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Wasilla- M. Friese (A. Friese, Wohlers) pp 5:37, 2. Wasilla- M. Friese (A. Friese) 1:27.

Third period — 3. Wasilla- Turner (Miller, Mansavage) 11:03, 4. Wasilla- Wilson (Wohlers, Ostrom) pp 7:58, 5. Wasilla- Wohlers (A. Friese, M. Friese) pp 5:49, 6. Wasilla- Johnston (Wilson, Troisi) 1:38.

Shots on goal: Lathrop 6-4-8—18, Wasilla 8-6-19—33; Saves: Lathrop- Evans 8-4-15—27, Wasilla- Hugli 6-4-8—18; Penalties: Lathrop 4-8, Wasilla 6-12; Power plays: Lathrop 0-6, Wasilla 3-4.

Wasilla 3, Houston 1

Menard Tournament semifinals

Friday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Wasilla- A. Friese (unassisted) 1:44.

Third period — 2. Houston- Ranum (unassisted) 2:05, 3. Wasilla- Johnston (Barkley, Wilson) 1:46, 4. Wasilla- Barkley (unassisted) 1:32.

Shots on goal: Wasilla 9-6-4—19, Houston 4-14-13—31.

East 4, Wasilla 3

Menard Tournament final

Saturday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Wasilla- Friese (M. Friese) 12:33, 2. Wasilla- Barkley (unassisted) 7:32.

Second period — 3. East- Solberg (Casagranda) 12:32, 4. East- Hudson (Piccard, Ellis) 4:38.

Third period — 5. East- Luiten (Ellis, Piccard) 9:45, 6. Wasilla- M. Friese (A. Friese, Ostrom) 7:41, 7. East- Little (Piccard, Luiten) 0:45.

Shots on goal: East 15-7-5—27, Wasilla 5-6-10—21.