Prep hockey: Warrior captain celebrates 18th birthday with upset of defending state champs

WASILLA — Chancie Hanson found one heck of a way to celebrate his 18th birthday.

The Wasilla senior captain scored an early power-play goal to help the Warriors upset the defending state champion South Anchorage Wolverines at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena Tuesday night.

“Best birthday present ever,” Hanson said.

Hanson and his younger brother, Cooper, each tallied power-play goals during the first four minutes of regulation, sophomore Andrew Cooley recorded the game-winner and freshman goalie Lauren Massie made 35 saves to help Wasilla score the victory.

Wasilla not only iced the memory of South’s 7-0 victory over the Warriors during the 2010-11 state tournament quarterfinals with the win, but rebounded from a 13-0 loss to Dimond last week.

“Playing the way we did, especially after coming off that loss to Dimond was huge for us as a team,” Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant said.

Chancie Hanson said he wasn’t sure where his team was at mentally after that loss to the Lynx, but was happy with what he saw Tuesday night.

“The overall mindset didn’t look very good (against Dimond), but (tonight) we came in to work hard as a team,” Hanson said.

That work led to a pair of power-play goals within the first 4 minutes and 11 seconds of regulation. Hanson gave the Warriors an early one-goal lead as the Warriors skated with a 4-on-3 advantage. Hanson took a pass from assistant captain Will Harren and snapped a shot from the left wing circle into the far side of the net.

Just more than a minute later Cooper Hanson redirected the rebound of a Harren shot past South goalie Nathan Wright.

Wasilla, 2 for 6 on the power play in the first period, had success with the advantage, despite not being able to work on special teams during practice.

“We didn’t spend much time on the power play,” Chancie Hanson said. “We were kind of winging it.”

Cooley scored his goal midway through the second period, throwing a puck on net to cash in on a South turnover.

“It’s what the coaches have been preaching so far, simple plays,” Hanson said. “Put the puck on net.”

South scored both of its goals during the final 2:08 of the first.

Steven Orizotti put South on the scoreboard with a wrister late in the first period. Daniel Sandstrom scored on the power play with 23 seconds left, knocking his own rebound into the back of the Wasilla net.

But take away those two minutes and Massie was perfect.

The game marked the freshman’s first career varsity start. Sturdevant said this is simply where Massie fell in the rotation. The Warriors currently have three goalies on the varsity roster. Junior Zach Eastham and sophomore Rhys Jones each made starts last week. Sturdevant said the young goalie wondered whether he wanted to make his debut against the defending state champions.

“I thought he was capable,” Sturdevant said. “I talked to him last week and said this was going to be his game. I talked to him about whether or not he wanted to play. He decided after practice yesterday that he wanted a shot at South.”

After allowing the two South goals at the tail end of the first, Massie stopped the next 26 shots he saw.

“He made some unreal saves,” Hanson said.

Sturdevant said the play of the Warriors in front of Massie was also key.

“I thought he saw the puck really well tonight,” Sturdevant said. “I thought the guys played well enough tonight to give him a chance to make those saves.”

Sturdevant said protecting their net was a priority for the Warriors Tuesday.

Wasilla finished with 13 shots in the win. Harren assisted on two of Wasilla’s three goals. Brett Keene also recorded an assist in the win.

Wasilla 3, South 2

Tuesday, Brett Arena

First period — 1. Wasilla- Ch. Hanson (Harren) pp 3:08; 2. Wasilla- Co. Hanson (Harren, Keene) pp 4:11; 3. South- Orizotti (Sandstrom, Regnart) 12:52; 4. South- Sandstrom (unassisted) pp 14:37.

Second period — 5. Wasilla- Cooley (unassisted) 6:06.

Third period — no scoring.

Shots on goal: South 11-15-11—37, Wasilla 6-4-6—16; Saves: South- Wright 4-3-6—13, Wasilla- Massie 9-15-11—35.

Dimond 3, Palmer 1

PALMER — The Dimond Lynx needed a pair of late goals to get by Palmer 3-1 at the MTA Events Center on Tuesday.

Dawson Glover scored the go-ahead goal at the 8:43 mark of the third period for the Lynx. Lane Bauer iced the game with a 5 on 3 goal with 56 seconds left in regulation.

Bauer scored twice in the game, using his first goal to give the Lynx the early 1-0 lead. Palmer’s Dalton Buness tied the score for the Moose later in the first. Jim Erickson and Blake Brazil collected assists on the play.

Palmer sophomore Ashton Good recorded 42 saves during the battle between the nonconference foes. Dimond junior Jordon MacMillan finished with 16 saves.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.