The visiting Kenai Central hockey team defeated Juneau-Douglas: Yadaa.at Kale 5-1 on Saturday to complete a two-game Northern Lights Conference sweep.

The sweep puts the focus on Thursday’s game between the Kardinals and Soldotna for the second seed out of the conference to the Division II state tournament. The Kards and Stars play at 6:45 p.m. Thursday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

Palmer will get the top seed out of the conference after finishing with just one loss. The Kardinals are 6-2 in the league and 12-9 overall with league games left against Homer and SoHi.

The Stars are 4-3 in the league with a game left against Kenai and two against Kodiak. Juneau is 5-5 in the league, while Kodiak is 1-7 and Homer is 1-7.

The top three in the league get automatic berths to state, while the rest will have to hope for two at-large bids available. The state tournament is Feb. 13 to 15 at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

The Kards jumped on the Crimson Bears on Saturday, taking a 4-0 lead after the first period and 5-0 lead after the second period.

Logan Mese scored twice in the first frame, while Avery Martin and Sawyer Vann also scored. Gavin Liles had the goal in the second period.

John Melancon scored on a penalty shot in the third period for Juneau.

Evyn Witt had 19 saves for the Kardinals, while Caleb Friend stopped 28 for the Crimson Bears.

Saturday

Kardinals 5, Crimson Bears 1

Ken 4 1 0 —5

Jun 0 0 1 —1

First period — 1. Kenai, Martin (Mese, Howard), 11:38. 2. Kenai, Mese (Howard), 11:51. 3. Kenai, Mese (Martin), 12:31. 4. Kenai, Vann (Chamberlain), 13:31. Penalties — Kenai 1 for 2:00; Juneau 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 5. Kenai, Liles (un.), 9:44. Penalties — Kenai 4 for 8:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.

Third period — 6. Juneau, Melancon (un.), ps, 11:39. Penalties — Kenai 4 for 8:00.

Shots on goal — Kenai 13-9-11—33; Juneau 5-10-5—20.

Goalies — Kenai, Witt (20 shots, 19 saves); Juneau, Friend (33 shots, 28 saves).