Warriors pummel Panthers in win

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

WASILLA - As arguably the deepest team in the North Star Conference, Wasilla has an advantage against most teams in the region.

Against a squad like Skyview, which can only go two-lines deep, Wasilla's depth can kill.

And it did.

The Warriors skated to a 9-1 win over Skyview on Friday at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

Freshman Levi Johnston led the Warriors with a hat trick, while senior Tanner Dutcher posted two goals and assist.

&#8220It's nice having three good lines, four good lines. We're trying to play everyone, especially after a tough game last night,” Wasilla head coach Eric Troisi said, referring to a difficult 3-2 loss to West Anchorage on Thursday.

Dutcher gave the Warriors the lead just 1 minute and 50 seconds into the game, scoring the first of four Warrior first-period goals.

On Saturday, Dutcher scored two goals and added an assist in a 6-0 shutout of the Panthers.

Eric Zehnder also scored twice.

West 3, Wasilla 2

West needed a goal midway through the third period to get past Wasilla 3-2 at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Thursday.

The Warriors scored a pair of goals early in the third period to tie the game, but the Eagles were able to re-claim the lead at the 8:43 mark.

&#8220I thought they got a lot more quality chances than we did. The second period they completely dominated us. The third period we dominated them,” Troisi said.

Joel Kenworthy scored on the power play 21 seconds into the third period to cut the West lead to 2-1. Johnston took a Kenworthy pass and scored five minutes later to tie the score.

Wasilla out-shot West 16-5 in the final frame.

Colony 3, Houston 2

Colony senior Austin Manelick scored on a one-timer to lift Colony to a 3-2 nonconference win over the Houston Hawks on Friday at the Menard Arena.

Ryan Pauling and Ryan Weeks also scored for Colony.

Aaron Burelson and Kaleb Westfall tallied goals for Houston. Sean Ranum notched assists on both goals.

Tyrel Henkel notched the win in goal for Colony.