Warriors rout North Star foe

SOLDOTNA — Even with a complete roster, Kenai Central would have its hands full with Wasilla.

Without one, forget it.

Missing at least three crucial components to their team, the Kardinals had difficulties defending the Warriors’ high-octane offense from opening faceoff, eventually falling, 10-1, on Friday night at the Soldotna Sports Center.

“We’ve had our share of problems and we’re going to have to learn how to overcome academic or injury issues or whatever,” said Kenai coach Nate Kiel. “And hopefully by the end of the season, if we keep working hard, hopefully we’re going to be in there a little bit, be able to play with all these teams.”

Until then, though, the Kardinals will have to make do with what they have.

And after graduating 95 percent of their scoring from last season, they’ll need to find a solution, and soon.

Missing freshman forward Zack Sonnichsen, who has already shown offensive brilliance in his brief stint with the squad, and defensive stalwart Cam Borchgrevink, along with senior forward McKenan Steinbeck, who has yet to suit up this season, Kenai found itself in a hole just 32 seconds into the game when Tony Miller beat Kardinals goaltender Matt Barrett.

“Right there, those three are definitely an important part of our team. They pack some physical punch as well as some scoring punch, what little scoring punch we have, and then a solid D-man. All those things hurt us,” Kiel explained. “Sometimes when you don’t have them and you go through these moments, it makes you a better team in the end. If we work hard, we can become a better team. I’m confident on that.”

The Warriors continued their never-ending pressure in the first when they tacked on three more goals in a four-minute span, with Ben Barber, Levi Johnston and Harvey Finch all beating Barrett — Barber’s a power-play tally and Johnston’s a short-handed score.

Wasilla then made it 5-0 with three-tenths of a second to play in the opening period when Barber added his second of the game, one-timing a strong wrister into the upper corner of the net.

“One of our biggest problems is all season, and we’re still trying to fix it right to the end here, is we’re giving up goals in the first minute and the last minute of periods. We’ve been doing it all season,” Kiel said. “We have to play with more intensity. You have to know where your man is and what your responsibility is and we’re certainly not getting it done in that category.

“We have a very inexperienced group, somewhat of a young group, and that’s the reason why,” he added. “But we have to get it figured it out.”

The onslaught continued only 2:39 into the second as Derek Ostrom ripped a slap shot from just inside the blue line that bounced off Barrett and into the back of the net. Adam Friese then scored the first of his two goals when he deflected a Troisi shot past Barrett for a commanding 7-0 cushion entering the third.

“We went back after one period and we started talking about going back to basics and little baby steps, looking for improvement every shift,” Kiel said. “And I do have to say to the guys’ credit, they did come back in the second period and play much better hockey, a much more solid game, which continued on into the third period despite some frustrations.”

The Kardinals finally lit the lamp 48 seconds into the final frame when senior captain Reed Ehrhardt poked the rubber past Wasilla goalie Jake Dargis as he was trying to cover it.

But the Warriors answered with three more goals, power-play tallies by Dane Wilson and Friese and another short-handed goal by Brian Turner with 34.1 seconds to play.

“Especially with the emphasis on the hooking and holding and tripping-type penalties now the last couple of years, special teams are more important than they’ve ever been in the game of hockey at all levels,” he said. “I guess we haven’t spent nearly the time this year on special teams because we’re trying to teach the game of hockey and learn where we’re supposed to be and all those things. And whereas last season, we spent 60 or 70 percent of our practice time on special teams. This year, it’s a very small percentage.”

Kiel also said the current edition of the Warriors compares to his 2006 Kardinals’ squad, which defeated Wasilla, 4-2, in last year’s North Star Conference Tournament finals, ending the Warriors’ two-year reign as champions.

“They have the one line that’s really dynamite. I think that they may even have more depth than we had last year,” he said. “We had a small core of players that carried us and they may be a little more spread out in terms of their overall depth.

“It seems like from the pipes out, they’re pretty solid.”

Matthew Carroll can be reached at matthew.carroll@

peninsulaclarion.com.

WARRIORS 10, KARDINALS 1

Friday, Soldotna Sports Center

Wasilla 5 2 3 —10

Kenai 0 0 1 —1

First period — 1. Wasilla, Miller (Mansavage), 0:32; 2. Wasilla, Barber (Ostrom), 4:54 (pp); 3. Wasilla, Johnston (Elkins), 6:53 (sh); 4. Wasilla, Finch (Elkins, Turner), 8:55; 5. Wasilla, Barber (Koso, Wilson), 14:59. Penalties — Wasilla 4 for 8:00; Kenai 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 6. Wasilla, Ostrom (Turner), 2:29; 7. Wasilla, A. Friese (Troisi), 14:38 (pp). Penalties — Wasilla 1 for 2:00; Kenai 1 for 2:00.

Third period — 8. Kenai, Ehrhardt (Horne, Fusaro), 0:48; 9. Wasilla, Wilson (Miller), 8:43 (pp); 10. Wasilla, A. Friese (Wohlers, Elkins), 11:21 (pp); 11. Wasilla, Turner (A. Friese, Troisi), 19:26 (sh). Penalties — Wasilla 3 for 6:00; Kenai 5 for 10:00.

Shots on goal — Wasilla 16-16-4—17; Kenai 5-4-3—21.

Goalies — Wasilla, Dargis (21 shots-20 saves); Kenai, Barrett (17 shots-15 saves).

Stars skate past Colony

SOLDOTNA — Despite being out-shot by Colony, the Soldotna Stars skated to a 7-4 win over the Knights at the Soldotna Sports Center on Friday.

The Stars had only 18 shots, compared to Colony’s 28, but scored three goals in both the first and the third period in the victory.

Facing a lofty deficit in the third, senior Blake Huppert and sophomore Jesse Krey each scored for Colony.

Charlie Holman had seven saves in the loss.

STARS 7, KNIGHTS 2

Friday, Soldotna Sports Center

Colony 0 0 2 —2

Soldotna 3 1 3 —7

First period — 1. Soldotna, Glick (Garske), 4:10; 2. Soldotna, Duwe (Markstrom), 6:42; 3. Soldotna, Glick (Duwe, Markstrom), 12:36. Penalties — Colony 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 4. Soldotna, Garske (Markstrom), 9:29 (pp). Penalties — Colony 7 for 22:00; Soldotna 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 5. Soldotna, Pokryfki (Kendrick), 1:28; 6. Soldotna, Glick (Duwe), 8:42; 7. Colony, Huppert (Krey), 9:34; 8. Soldotna, Glick (Markstrom, Garske), 10:25; 9. Colony, Krey (unassisted), 14:51. Penalties — Colony 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 3 for 6:00.

Shots on goal — Colony 5-15-8—28; Soldotna 9-2-7—18.

Goalies — Colony, Holman (12 shots-7 saves), Murak (6 shots, 4 saves); Soldotna, Kendrick (28 shots-26 saves).

Moose blank Mariners

HOMER — For the second time in as many nights, the Palmer Moose used a Michael Hanson hat trick to help notch a North Star Conference victory.

With his three goals, Hanson led the Moose to a 6-0 win over Homer at the Homer Ice Arena on Friday.

Junior Zack Richards, sophomore Tyler Isaacs and freshman Jared Hanson also scored for Palmer.

Warriors rout Mariners

HOMER — The Wasilla Warriors put on a goal-scoring display during a 15-1 win over the Homer Mariners at the Homer Ice Arena on Saturday.

Statistics were unavailable as of press time.

Knights top Kenai

SOLDOTNA — Leading 2-0 entering the final period, the Kardinals surrendered four goals in the final 10:01 of the game, including one with just 10 seconds left, in falling to the visiting Knights on Saturday.

Reed Ehrhardt staked Kenai to an early lead when he scored just 5:29 into the game and Dylan Hendricks made it a two-goal cushion when he found the back of the net on a power play midway through the second off an assist from Brady Perkins.

But Colony fought back.

Blake Huppert scored at the 10:01 mark of the third and Lance Nezaticky knotted the game just under three minutes later.

Huppert later assisted Chris Breck on the eventual game-winner before Dominick Frank capped the scoring.

Kenai’s Matt Barrett made 26 saves on 30 shots while Jason Murak denied 12 of the 14 shots he faced for the Knights.

KNIGHTS 4, KARDINALS 2

Saturday, Soldotna Sports Center

Colony 0 0 4 —4

Kenai 1 1 0 —2

First period — 1. Kenai, Ehrhardt (unassisted), 5:29. Penalties — Colony 1 for 2:00; Kenai 3 for 6:00.

Second period — 2. Kenai, Hendricks (B. Perkins), 6:16 (pp). Penalties — Colony 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 3. Colony, Huppert (Breck, Weeks), 4:59; 4. Colony, Nezaticky (unassisted), 7:55; 5. Colony, Breck (Huppert), 11:16; 6. Colony, Frank (unassisted), 19:50. Penalties — Colony 1 for 2:00; Kenai 3 for 14:00.

Shots on goal — Colony 5-13-12—30; Kenai 7-4-3—14.

Goalies — Colony, Murak (14 shots-12 saves); Kenai, Barrett (30 shots-26 saves).

Stars edge Moose

SOLDOTNA — Freshman Brad Duwe scored a pair of goals and senior captain Clayton Glick added another in leading the Stars past the visiting Moose on Saturday.

Jared Hanson staked Palmer to a 1-0 lead at the eight-minute mark of the first, but Glick struck with 1:03 to play in the period off an assist from Duwe and just 34 seconds later, Duwe added a goal of his own.

The Moose tied the game on a power play with 5:36 to play in the second when Michael Hanson scored off assists from Zack Richards and Jared Hanson.

Then just 14 seconds into the final frame, Duwe gave the Stars the lead for good when he scored an unassisted goal.

Goalie Mike McGrath made the lead stand up, turning away 17 of the 19 shots that came his way, while Palmer goalie Jonas Naegele denied 26 of 29 shots.

STARS 3, MOOSE 2

Saturday, Soldotna Sports Center

Palmer 1 1 0 —2

Soldotna 2 0 1 —3

First period — 1. Palmer, J. Hanson (M. Hanson), 7:00; 2. Soldotna, Glick (Duwe), 13:57; 3. Soldotna, Duwe (Markstrom, Garske), 14:31. No Penalties.

Second period — 4. Palmer, M. Hanson (Richards, J. Hanson), 9:24 (pp). Penalties — Palmer 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 4 for 8:00.

Third period — 5. Soldotna, Duwe (unassisted), 0:14. Penalties — Palmer 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal — Palmer 8-6-5—19; Soldotna 8-6-15—29; Goalies — Palmer, Naegele (29 shots-26 saves); Soldotna, McGrath (19 shots-17 saves).