Willams hat trick helps lift Hawks past WHS

WASILLA -- Wednesday night, there was a tale of two different types of hockey teams.

The Wasilla Warriors are looking to get over the hump, turn the corner and build a winning hockey program. The Houston Hawks turned that corner years ago and are speeding down the highway toward their ultimate goal of a third state championship in four years.

The Hawks scored a pair of unanswered goals in the final 6 minutes and 46 seconds of regulation to overcome an early third-period Warrior surge and defeat Wasilla 4-3 at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena.

"We need to turn the corner," Wasilla head coach Eric Troisi said.

Troisi said that since Wasilla has not had a winning hockey program in nearly 10 years, his squad still needs to learn how to win the close games.

"A lot of times a win changes things, but I am hoping this changes things," Troisi said. "I hope kids walk out discouraged enough they work harder to play better. I know I will coach better."

While the Warriors are still learning how to win, it was the Hawks' will to win that put the squad over the top.

"Perseverance," Houston head coach Jamie Smith said. "My kids go to war."

A Wade Williams hat trick and a late Devin Styers power play goal put Houston on top.

Williams scored two of his three goals in the second, but each time the junior forward struck, the Warriors fought right back.

Williams scored his first just more than three minutes into the second period. Rick Morlock picked up a loose puck near the red line, drove down to the Wasilla zone and sent a pass to Williams.

Williams skated across the crease of the Wasilla net and slipped a backhand right past the glove side of Warrior goaltender Ronnie Walker.

Late in the second, Wasilla tied the score with a Derek Banbury shot from the point. Houston goaltender Paul Sutton-Jones was screened on the play, and the Banbury blast went into the lower left side of the net.

Fourteen seconds later Williams killed what momentum Wasilla had gained with the Banbury goal, with his second score of the game. Morlock again set up Williams, and the junior sent the puck into the Wasilla net.

Banbury tied the game again early in the third period with another hard shot from the point. Tyler Kaufman cycled the puck to Banbury on the power play and the blue-liner notched his second goal from the point.

Wasilla took the lead just two minutes later. Kaufman intercepted a pass at center ice, shifted the puck to Jeremiah Dargis and Dargis scored on a breakaway.

The Wasilla lead would only last for about three minutes as Williams scored with 6:46 left to tie the contest at 3-3.

After serving a two-minute minor for tripping, Williams skated out of the penalty box, picked up a loose puck, skated past the Wasilla defense and scored five-hole.

Styers scored the game-winner just 77 seconds later.

On the power play, Morlock weaved through the Wasilla defense and moved the puck over to Styers, who was sitting on the right side of the Wasilla crease. Styers scored the game-winner glove-side.

Though Williams lit the lamp three times, Smith said Houston won with another complete team effort.

"Wade was in the right hole at the right time," Smith said. "One guy can't do it all. Everyone stepped up. We got the power play while he was in the box."

Each goaltender was impressive in the contest, with each netminder not allowing any easy goals.

"They were all tough goals," Smith said. "Paul has been unbelievable for us."

Nicknamed "Paul the Wall", Sutton-Jones stopped 32 shots in the game, including 20 in the second period.

Walker registered 22 saves in the game.

"Ronnie did exactly what we needed him to do," Troisi said.

Random shots … Special teams proved to be pivotal for Houston. The Hawks were 6-7 on the penalty kill and 1-4 on the power play … Smith also praised the play of Morlock, who assisted on all four Hawk goals … Matt Bertling was in the lineup for the first time this season. The sophomore forward broke his collarbone during the prep football season and missed the first five games of the season. Bertling registered an assist … Kincaid also notched an assist for Houston … Dargis, Tumbleson and Kaufman each had one assist for Wasilla … Wasilla is currently second in Region III with a 1-0 conference record and 2-4 overall mark … The Warriors next host Dimond at 7 p.m., Thursday and the Hawks next face Colony, Friday at 7 p.m. at the Brett.