WHS wins in OT

WASILLA — Friday night, Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant watched as Soldotna freshman Max Hegge stunned the Warriors with the game-winning goal of a 2-1 overtime win over Wasilla. But on Saturday, Sturdevant had the chance to see his Warriors celebrate an overtime win.

Junior Chancie Hanson scored three minutes into the extra period to give Wasilla a 4-3 overtime victory over the Kenai Central Kardinals at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena.

“It definitely redeemed us, at least in our minds, after last night’s game,” Sturdevant said.

Hanson used a blast from the point to give the Warriors the game-winner. Senior Mike Edwards won the draw and sent it back to Hanson. With traffic in front of net, Hanson was able to send a shot by Kenai goalie Keegan Remsen.

Wasilla, which finished the weekend 2-1-0 against three Kenai Peninsula foes, outshot each opponent terribly during the stretch. But despite controlling much of the play, the Warriors could only managed a single goal on 40 shots against Soldotna on Friday. It was much of the same on Saturday. Through the first two periods, the Warriors could sneak only one puck by Remsen.

“We’re starting to feel like we are snakebit. We’re doing everything right. We’re sticking to the game plan. We just can’t put anything into the net,” Sturdevant said. “Some of the kids are feeling like there’s a force field behind those goalies. Pucks are just not going in for us.”

Kenai took the 2-1 lead with a pair of first-period goals. Morgan Cunningham, who scored twice in the game, recorded an unassisted tally to put the Kards on the scoreboard. Jake Iverson added a power-play goal late in the period.

Edwards put the Warriors on the scoreboard in the first and Dylan McRee scored in the third period.

Later in the third, defenseman Michael Johnston skated end-to-end up the left wing boards and placed a shot perfectly into the far end of the net to give the Warriors the 3-2 advantage.

“It was a beautiful goal,” Sturdevant said.

Cunningham scored his second goal of the game in the third period to force overtime.

Sophomore Zach Eastham stopped 26 shots to earn the win in the Warrior net. Sturdevant said the overtime victory was big, in terms of boosting not only the confidence of the team, but Eastham in particular.

“He’s been coming up big for us,” Sturdevant said.

Wasilla 4, Kenai 3 OT

Saturday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Kenai- Cunningham (unassisted); 2. Kenai- Iverson (Palchikoff) pp; 3. Wasilla- Edwards (Sturdevant).

Third period — 4. Wasilla- McRee (Ch. Hanson); 5. Wasilla- Johnston (unassisted) pp; 6. Kenai- Cunninghmam (Hendricks).

Overtime — 7. Wasilla- Ch. Hanson (Edwards).

Shots: Kenai 29, Wasilla 39; Saves: Kenai- Remsen 26, Wasilla- Eastham 35.