Spirit knock out Bighorns

DARRELL L. BREESE/ Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - There was no holding back punches Saturday.

One night after beating up Helena 8-1 the Wasilla Spirit Junior A hockey team butted heads with the Bighorns and emerged with a 5-2 victory.

Players from both teams locked horns frequently, combining for 29 penalties, 48 minutes in the sin bin. Three players were ejected. But in the midst of the fray Wasilla forwards Andy Sternberg and Gavin Dittman delivered the knock out blows while putting on a goal scoring display.

Dittman is making the most of his short stint in the Spirit uniform. He is home for the holiday break during his sophomore year at Colorado School of the Mines, he nearly posted the Spirit's first hat trick of the season.

He opened the scoring midway through the first period. After scoring in the second, Dittman nearly completed the rare scoring feat in the period, only to have what would have been his third goal was waived off after the officials conferenced at center ice.

&#8220I don't know why they called off the goal,” Dittman said. &#8220But it is all about getting the win.”

Sternberg accomplished what Dittman couldn't when he slipped the puck into an empty net with nine seconds remaining. It was his third goal of the game and second of the final period.

He evened the score in the second period after Helena scored on two power play attempts to move ahead of the Spirit for the first time in their four meetings this season. Then in the third he deflected a slap shot from Mikka Keskitalo into the net, before adding his empty netter.

&#8220I almost let the short-timer show us regular players up,” Sternberg said of Dittman's near miss at the hat trick. &#8220He's going back to college next week, but he has certainly been a welcome shot in the arm for us.”

Dittman, who played his high school hockey for Service in Anchorage helping them win state championships in 2002 and 2003, joined the team on Dec. 30 and played for the first time in a New Year's Eve loss to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. Friday he made a good impression with his new teammates, becoming one of eight players to score in an 8-1 win.

Saturday he made the regular members of the Spirit wish he didn't have to return to college next week.

&#8220We're going to talk him into staying here,” Sternberg said. &#8220Everyone on the team likes him and he can skate pretty good too.”

Dittman, who is in college on an academic scholarship, has committed to playing out the Spirit's home stand which includes a pair of games Friday and Saturday against Wichita Falls and the Helena Bighorns on Sunday.

&#8220I'll miss the first three days of the semester,” Dittman said. &#8220But I'm having so much fun skating with a group players of such a high skill level. It is the most fun I've had playing hockey.”

The Bighorns got on the board in the first period thanks to their newest member, Anthony Cosmano, who joined the team the day before flying north.

Phil Rauch scored in the second while the Bighorns had a five on three advantage.

Goaltender Andy Volkening stopped 35 shots, helping the Spirit improve to 18-21 on the season. Helena slipped to 9-21 and is currently in last place in the North American Hockey League West Division.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.