The South hockey team notched a 3-2 nonconference victory over Soldotna on Friday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
By winning for a seventh time in eight games, the Division I Wolverines moved their record to 8-4-1. The Stars fall to 8-8-2.
South’s victory was keyed by special teams and goaltending. The Wolverines finished 3 for 4 on the power play, with goalie Noah Nevin making 17 saves.
South head coach Daniel Ramsey said his squad does not score a ton of goals, so the power play is key.
“We have a good power play,” he said. “We run a lot of systems in practice. On this big ice, it helped out a lot more with giving those boys a little more time and space.”
Soldotna coach Anthony Zurfluh said there were plenty of bright spots in the game. South had a fair amount of time in the offensive zone and the Stars did not yield an even-strength goal, with tender Brycen Clyde stopping 25 of 28.
On the other hand, the loss didn’t sit well with Zurfluh.
“I’m never happy to lose one, especially when I feel like we could play with that team,” he said. “The three power-play goals killed us.”
Zurfluh said both goalies put on a bit of a show.
“I’m super happy with our goaltending. There was nothing lost there,” he said. “Their goalie came up with a few that I’m not sure how he did it.”
Ramsey said it’s good to see Nevin progressing.
“He’s been our JV guy the last three years, so this is his first year playing varsity,” the coach said. “He’s been playing good hockey for us all year, so hopefully he can keep it up into the final stretch of the season.”
South’s Chase Mascelli scored the lone goal of the first period. With 5:00 left in the second, Daniel Heath tied it on the power play. SoHi would go 1 for 3 with the extra man.
With 49 seconds left in the second period, Alex Green put the Wolverines on top again with a power-play strike.
South appeared the ice it with 2:11 left in the game on a Devin Berg goal for a 3-1 advantage, but the Stars were not done yet.
SoHi pulled the goalie and Nathan Hawkins scored with 32 seconds left. The Stars had a couple other good chances before the final horn sounded.
“We didn’t give up there at the end,” Zurfluh said. “We actually pick up a goal and almost drive one in at the end. With a little more time on the clock, maybe we find one.”
Ramsey said the trip to the peninsula was good for his team. The Wolverines played Kenai Central on Thursday and Saturday, as well. The coach said the varsity has 10 new players who have never been on a road trip before.
“It’s been a blast,” Ramsey said. “Both SoHi and Kenai do a good job. It’s fun playing them. We don’t play them enough.”
Friday
Sou 1 1 1 —3
Sol 0 1 1 —2
First period — 1. South, Macelli (Adkins), pp, 7:58. Penalties — South 1 for 2:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.
Second period — 2. Soldotna, Heath (Crabtree), pp, 10:00. 3. South, Green (Jennings), pp, 14:11. Penalties — South 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.
Third period – 4. South, Berg (Schmidt), pp, 12:49. 5. Soldotna, Hawkins (Heath), ea, 14:28. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 4:00.
Shots on goal — South 10-11-7—28; Soldotna 6-5-8—19.
Goalies — South, Nevin (19 shots, 17 saves); Soldotna, Clyde (28 shots, 25 saves).
Soldotna goalie Brycen Clyde turns aside a shot Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna goalie Brycen Clyde turns aside a shot Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna’s Peyton Williams splits South’s Nick Yohman and Alex Green on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
