Preps hit the ice for annual Menard Memorial tourney

WASILLA — Eight teams will take the ice during the four-day Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Hockey Tournament.

The annual tourney, which starts Wednesday at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla, features each of the four Mat-Su Valley 4A prep pucks program, and four other teams from Anchorage, the Interior and the Kenai Peninsula.

Colony has arguably the toughest draw of the tourney opening with Dimond, the 2008-09 4A state runner up, in the first game of the tourney.

“It’ll be a challenge, absolutely,” Colony head coach Fred McKenney said after his team’s 3-1 win over Houston in the season-opener last week. “We’ve got a lot of work to do this week to get ready.”

Colony is 1-0 after the win over the Hawks. Dimond, which tied Chugiak 3-3 last week, is 0-0-1.

The Knights and Lynx play Wednesday at 5:15 p.m.

Wasilla (0-1-0) meets Bartlett (0-2-0) Wednesday at 7:15 p.m.

The Warriors started the season with a tough 3-2 loss to South Anchorage. Bartlett suffered losses to South and Eagle River last week.

On Thursday, Palmer (0-2-0) plays North Pole (0-1-0) at 5 p.m.

The Moose started the season with a 4-3 overtime loss to Eagle River. West beat Palmer 8-0 last week.

Houston (0-1-0) will play Kenai Central (0-2-0) Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

Colony beat Houston 3-1. Kenai suffered losses to Soldotna and Serice during the Peninsula Ice Challenge last weekend.

The Menard semifinals are scheduled for 5 and 7:15 p.m. Friday. The championship game is slated for 7:15 p.m.