The Homer Mariners won their own End of the Road tournament Saturday by defeating Kenai Central 4-1.
Homer took the lead in the first period on a goal by Robby Larson, but Jakeb O’Brien tied it up for the Kards early in the second period. Lee Lowe would score for the Mariners before the period was out, then Ethan Pitzman and Garrett Butcher tacked on goals in the third.
Hunter Warren saved 27 for the Mariners, while Ryan Williams stopped 38 for the Kardinals, who are now 2-4 on the year.
The Kardinals started the season 0-3 at the Peninsula Ice Challenge, but coach Michael Tilly said it is tough to judge a team based on such an early season tournament. He said the chemistry of a few more weeks of practice showed on the ice this weekend.
Williams was voted the most valuable goalie in the tournament, while Levi Mese earned the most valuable forward award.
Soldotna and Kenai will tangle at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
Soldotna 5, North Pole 2
The visiting Stars came back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Patriots on Saturday and improve to 5-1 on the year.
Goals in the first period came from Parker Lockwood, assisted by Matthew Daugherty, and Ethan Brown, assisted by Lockwood.
In the second period, Levi Hensley scored with help from Billy Yoder.
In the third period, Ethan Brown scored unassisted and Hensley scored on an assist from Lockwood.
Kenai 5, Houston 3
One day after notching their first win of the year, the Kardinals picked up their second, beating Houston on Friday night at the End of the Road tournament in Homer.
Jakeb O’Brien and Brenna Eubank each scored twice and Levi Mese assisted three times to lead Kenai to the win. The Kards scored three goals in the second period to distance themselves in a previously tight game.
After a goal late in the first period by O’Brien gave Kenai a 1-0 lead, Houston answered just 17 seconds into the second frame on a power-play shot to tie it up, but O’Brien scored again midway through the period on a power play to put Kenai ahead again. Eubank then notched two consecutive goals on the power play to push the lead to 4-1.
Levi Mese scored a short-handed goal in the third period to help ice the game.
Ryan Williams earned the win between the pipes for Kenai, stopping 29 or 32 shots sent his way.
West Valley 2,
Soldotna 1, OT
The Soldotna hockey team lost its first game of the season Friday evening after a late rally by West Valley squashed their lead in regulation and sent the Stars packing in overtime.
Kaden Monzingo beat SoHi goalie Billy Yoder with a short-handed strike for the game-winner just three minutes into the overtime period. The Wolfpack had tied the game up with just 2:49 left in the third period, their first goal of the game, with a strike from London Emerson.
SoHi freshman Parker Lockwood opened the scoring with a goal late in the second frame to put the Stars up 1-0.
With the loss, SoHi drops to 4-1 overall.
Homer 6, Bartlett 1
The Mariners received two goals from Tim Blakley and a goal and two assists from Ethan Pitzman as they defeated Bartlett on Friday in the End of the Road tournament.
Homer, which outshot Bartlett 63-24, led 4-0 in the third period before Bartlett scored. Alden Ross, Garrett Butcher and Dimitry Kuzmin added goals for Homer, while Cody Bell scored for Bartlett.
Guy Henderson made 57 saves for the Golden Bears, while Hunter Warren stopped 23 for Homer.
Friday
Mariners 6, Golden Bears 1
Bartlett 0 0 1 —1
Homer 1 2 3 —6
First period — 1. Homer, Ross (S. Warren), 7:17. Penalties — Bartlett 3 for 9:00; Homer 1 for 2:00.
Second period — 2. Homer, Blakley (Pitzman), pp, 8:53; 3. Homer, Butcher (un.), 14:44. Penalties — Bartlett 2 for 15:00.
Third period — 4. Homer, Pitzman (Larson), 6:20; 5. Bartlett, Bell (un.), 7:51; 6. Homer, Kuzmin (un.), 8:32; 7. Homer, Blakley (Pitzman, Rodrick), 11:52. Penalties — Bartlett 3 for 6:00; Homer 2 for 4:00.
Shots on goal — Bartlett 5-6-13—24; Homer 21-18-24—63.
Goalies — Bartlett, Henderson (63 shots, 57 saves); Homer, Warren (24 shots, 23 saves).
Wolfpack 2, Stars 1, OT
Soldotna 0 1 0 0 —1
West Valley 0 0 1 1 —2
1st period — No scoring. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 15:00; West Valley 1 for 2:00.
2nd period — 1. Soldotna, Lockwood (unassisted), 10:13. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2:00; West Valley 1 for 2:00.
3rd period — 2. West Valley, Emerson (Kimbrough, Savereide), 12:11. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 4:00; West Valley 3 for 6:00.
Overtimes — 3. West Valley, Monzingo (Sadler), 2:59. Penalties — West Valley 1 for 2:00.
Shots — Soldotna 5-8-11-0—24; West Valley 4-4-7-6—21.
Goalies — Soldotna, Yoder (21 shots, 19 saves); West Valley, Simon (24 shots, 23 saves).
Kardinals 5, Hawks 3
Kenai 1 3 1 —5
Houston 0 1 2 —3
1st period — 1. Kenai, O’Brien (Mese), 13:53. Penalties — Kenai 2 for 7:00; Houston 4 for 8:00.
2nd period — 2. Houston, Isaac Smoldon (Kingery, Chivers), PP, :17; 3. Kenai, O’Brien (Mese), 7:28; 4. Kenai, Eubank (Mese), PP, 9:24; 5. Kenai, Eubank (Hagel), PP, 13:23. Penalties — Kenai 0; Houston 2 for 7:00.
3rd period — 6. Kenai, Mese (O’Brien), SH, 3:23; 7. Houston, Y. Natekin (Kingery, Humphreys), 5:03; 8. Houston, A. Natekin (Smoldon, Rogers), 9:56. Penalties — Kenai 2 for 4:00; Houston 2 for 4:00.
Shots — Kenai 9-13-2—24; Houston 7-10-15—32.
Goalies — Kenai, Williams (32 shots, 29 saves); Houston, Nix (24 shots, 19 saves).
Saturday
Mariners 4, Kardinals 1
Kenai 0 1 0 —1
Homer 1 1 2 —4
First period — 1. Homer, Larson (Blakley), 14:17. Penalties — Homer 2 for 4:00.
Second period — 2. Kenai, O’Brien (un.), 0:59; 3. Homer, Lowe (un.), 13:27. Penalties — Kenai 4 for 8:00; Homer 1 for 2:00.
Third period — 4. Homer, Pitzman (Blakley), 9:56; 5. Homer, Butcher (un.), 14:32. Penalties — none.
Shots on goal — Kenai 8-9-11—28; Homer 13-12-17—42.
Goalies — Kenai, Williams (42 shots, 38 saves); Homer, Warren (28 shots, 27 saves).
