Valley skaters help Team Alaska U18 boys team win hockey gold

WASILLA — It took only 31 seconds to strike first, and with the early start Team Alaska struck gold.

Daniel Matveev, a Houston Hawks prep standout, scored the first of his two goals 31 seconds into play to help lead Team Alaska to an 8-1 win over Team Northwest Territories during the Arctic Winter Games U18 boys hockey gold medal game Thursday evening at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

“Our first line, they came out flying every game,” Team Alaska captain Mason Holler said after the win. “The first goal in the first 30 seconds really helped us.”

It was part of a four-goal first-period for Team Alaska, which capped its tournament 5-0-0 overall.

Holler, a prep standout at Wasilla High, is one of two members of the 2024 squad who competed for Alaska in the 2023 Wood Buffalo games in Alberta. Alaska finished with the silver after a 4-1 loss to Team Nunavut.

Fellow captain Colin McCarthy, of Kodiak, also returned.

“Last year we finished second. We wanted to come out flying,” Holler said.

The Arctic Winter Games veteran said competing in the games is a great experience.

“To all the kids who want to play, you gotta do it. It’s so fun,” Holler said. “So man people to meet.”

Team Alaska cruised through the 2024 U18 tourney. In three pool play games, the semifinal and the final, Alaska outscored opponents 34-2. The lone goal allowed Thursday night in the championship game was a 5-on-3 power-play goal.

Matveev scored twice in the first period for Alaska. He stuck between the circles in the opening minute and hammered home a one-timer from the right wrong circle on a power play late in the first.

Logan Mese, a Kenai Central standout, set up the goal, and finished with three assists in the win.

Elijah Von Gunten, a Palmer High standout, snapped a wrister low into the net early in the first to give Alaska a 2-0 lead, and added three assists in the win.

Von Gunten set up Houston hockey standout Braydon Spain’s shorthanded goal in the second period. Von Gunten led a 2-on-0 break, and slipped a pass in front of the crease to Spain, who scored.

Brody Richard, another Houston High standout, added a late goal for Alaska.

Andrew Arthur, of Soldotna, and Oliver Circosta, of Anchorage, also scored.

Holler also had two assists.

Team Alaska goalies Liam Van Buskirk and Jamon O’Bryan, both of Wasilla, each saw time in net. Van Buskirk stopped 15 shots in two periods. O’Bryan, a Colony High netminder, stopped all four shots he saw in the third.

Alaska beat Nunavut 6-2 in the semifinals in a rematch of the 2023 gold medal game.

Mese bagged a hat trick in the semifinal win. Two if those goals were shorthanded. Matveev, Von Gunten and Arthur also scored.

Team Alaska U15 squad earns bronze

Team Alaska scored a 10-3 win over Team Northwest Territories during the boys hockey U15 bronze medal game Friday at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

Liam Yackel led Alaska with a pair of goals. Andrew Katchen, Ryalin Mcllroy, Braden Bolido, Cooper Circosta, Michael McCarthy, Dawson Spain, Patrick Forestal and Draydon Larsdon also scored.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.