Squirts squeeze by foe to win state crown

Throughout the season the Boys and Girls Club Valley Blades squirt hockey squad and their sister club and foe from Anchorage, the Anchorage Boys and Girls Club Thunder Bolts were virtually neck and neck. Each team held a 1-1-1 record during the three-game season series and it was apparent that one team would have to get by the other on the route to the state championship.

That thought rang true as the Blades had to get by the Thunder Bolts, not only once, but twice in the quest for their title.

In a come-from-behind effort, the Blades squeezed past the Thunder Bolts 5-4 in overtime to win the Tier IV Division state championship at the Harry MacDonald Ice Arena in Eagle River late last month.

The Blades also defeated the Thunder Bolts 3-0 in the round-robin portion of the state tournament.

In the title match, the Thunder Bolts led 4-2 with just three minutes left in the contest. Ali Healy took a pass from linemate Kenny Doss and slipped the puck into the Thunder Bolt net to cut the Anchorage advantage to 4-3.

"Ali is not the strongest shooter, but she is smart. She plays her position to the letter," Blade head coach Jess Seward said. "Her goal was a huge spark, a lift. We were in fourth gear, and it kicked us up to fifth."

The Blades utilized that momentum provided by the Healy goal as Ivan Goy scored on a perfect tic-tac-toe pass from Alexander Conrad and Jason Ambro to tie the game with just one minute remaining in regulation.

At the start of the overtime period, Seward put the high-flying line of Goy, Conrad and Jason Ambro along with defensemen Josh Ambro and Brennon Hammond on the ice.

With just 2:30 left in the extra frame, Jason Ambro scored his second goal of the contest to give the Blades their second state title in three seasons.

"The Thunder Bolts stepped it up a notch," Seward said of Anchorage's play in the title game. "They outplayed us in the first two periods, it was neck and neck, but they outplayed us.

"The third period we outplayed them."

The squad advanced to the title game after finishing 4-0 in the round-robin portion of the tournament. Blade goaltender Tyler Seward notched four shutouts.

"We have a great group of defensive players, including our centers and wings," Seward said. "We use our centers not just on offense, they are our third defensemen. We always have two players back."

Seward noted although his goaltender played excellent, the Blades allowed few shots in the tourney.

"In one game we only allowed five shots and two were breakaways," Seward said.

The Boys and Girls Valley Blades finished 24-4-2 during the regular season. The Blades participated in several tournaments during the season and won both the Anchorage Turkey Shoot and the Kenai Tournament.