SoHi stuns Wasilla in 4-OT win

HOMER — The Soldotna Stars certainly don’t lack a flair for the dramatic.

After scoring the game-winner during the final second of its first-round game, netting a double-overtime win during the semifinals, Soldotna scored late in the fourth overtime to earn a 3-2 win over Wasilla in the North Star Conference Championships title game at Kevin Bell Arena in Homer Saturday afternoon.

Soldotna forward Kenny Griffin led a 2-on-1 break and lifted a shot into the Wasilla net with 2 minutes and 38 seconds left in the fourth tiebreaker.

“It was pretty incredible,” Soldotna head coach Aaron Swanson told the Peninsula Clarion Saturday evening.

Wasilla outshot 23-6 during the four overtime frames, and 58-20 overall. With the score netted a 2, Wasilla held the puck in the Soldotna defensive zone for the majority of the first three overtime periods. After outshooting Soldotna 16-7 in the third period, the Warriors allowed only one shot during the first overtime and no shots in the third overtime.

Soldotna senior Cody Harvey finished with 56 saves in the win.

“Wasilla was bringing a lot of pressure and getting shots, and when the fourth overtime period began, I think we just caught a second wind or something,” Swanson said. “The kids just kept battling all game.”

In the second overtime, Wasilla freshman goaltender Wyatt Monear made two big saves at the tail end of the period. With the Stars on an odd-man rush, Monear made a big save to keep the game tied. He also made another save on a shot right off the ensuing face off.

Wasilla opened the scoring with 4:40 left in the first period. Defenseman Blake Carricaburu blasted a shot from the point, and Cody Butcher redirected the puck and scored to give Wasilla the 1-0 lead. Soldotna tied the game midway through the second period. Monear made the save on a Griffen shot, but Ty Fenton knocked in the rebound to tie the game at 1.

Nick Wrobel scored on a short breakaway with 20 seconds left in the second period to give Soldotna the 2-1 advantage, its first lead of the game. Wrobel picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, split a pair of Wasilla defensemen and used a quick move in front of the crease to beat Monear on the breakaway.

Early in the third period, Cooper Hanson scored to tie the game at 2.

With the win, Soldotna notched its first region title since 2009. The third-seeded Stars needed three dramatic victories to earn the trophy. In the first-round Thursday, Fenton scored in the final second of regulation to give Soldotna a 3-2 win over sixth-seeded Palmer. In Friday’s semifinal round, Preston Weeks scored 13 seconds into a second overtime to give the Stars a 3-2 win over second-seeded Colony.

Wasilla, the No. 1 seed in the tourney, suffered its third loss of the year to the Stars. Soldotna had previously beat Wasilla 3-0 early in the regular season and 3-2 in overtime in January at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla. The Warriors will make their fifth straight trip to the state tourney, despite the loss.

Wasilla opened its tournament with an 8-1 semifinal win over Kenai on Friday.

Soldotna 3, Wasilla 2, 4OT

NSC title game

Saturday, Homer

First period — 1. Wasilla- Butcher (Carricaburu, Jensen) 10:20.

Second period — 2. Soldotna- Fenton (Wrobel, Griffen) 7:26; 3. Soldotna- Wrobel (unassisted) 14:40.

Third period — 4. Wasilla- Hanson (Reeves, Schachle) 4:54.

First overtime — no scoring.

Second overtime — no scoring.

Third overtime — no scoring.

Fourth overtime — 5. Soldotna- Griffen (unassisted) 2:38.

Shots on goal: Soldotna 2-5-7-1-2-0-3—20, Wasilla 7-12-16-6-8-6-3—58; Saves: Soldotna- Harvey 6-12-15-6-8-6-3—56, Wasilla- Monear 2-3-4-1-2-0-2—17.