By JEREMIAH BARTZ
Frontiersman.com
The Kenai Kardinals earned their first victory of the 2018-19 season Saturday afternoon. Nate Beiser scored twice to lift Kenai to a 3-1 win over Houston at the Big Lake Recreation Center.
Cooper Stock also scored for the Kards. Isaiah Squires recorded the lone Houston goal.
After a pair of tough losses, the Palmer Moose took out their frustrations on the Kenai Kardinals on Friday night.
Zach Nelius used a hat trick to lead the Moose to an 8-1 win over the Kards at the MTA Events Center in Palmer. The Moose needed only about four minutes to grab a 4-0 lead. Jack Matlock scored a pair of goals within a 33-second span to push Palmer ahead 2-0. Nelius and Owen Hayes added goals within a 40-second stretch to make it a 4-0 game.
Luke Thiesen added a shorthanded breakaway goal in the win. Pierce Brooks also scored.
Bailey Maxson provided Kenai’s lone score.
Stars skate past Hawks, Knights
Soldotna capped a perfect trip to the Valley with a 4-1 nonconference win over Colony on Friday night at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.
The Stars now stand at 6-0 in the league and 8-4-1 overall. And the trip was perfect for more than the varsity, as the JV also won all three of its games.
Alex Montague scored twice for the Stars. Galen Brantley III and Gavin Haakenson also scored. Goalie Josh Tree made 30 saves.
Jack Holman recorded the lone goal for Colony.
A night after edging Palmer in overtime, the Soldotna Stars drilled Houston 9-2 Thursday night at the Big Lake Recreational Center in Big Lake.
Eight different players scored to help Soldotna earn its second Railbelt Conference win in as many days. Alex Montague led SoHi with a pair of goals. Braxton Urban, Logan Shane, Dylan Walton, Jose Montague, Galen Brantley III and David Aley also scored. Brantley led Soldotna with four assists. JD Schmelzenbach added three helpers for SoHi, which outshot Houston 55-23.
Kenzie Powell made 21 saves in the SoHi net.
Homer 6, Houston 1
The visiting Mariners notched a Railbelt victory Friday at Big Lake Recreational Center.
Colony 4, Homer 0
The visiting Mariners dropped a nonconference contest Saturday.
Kenai Central 3, Houston 1
Saturday, Big Lake Rec Center
First period — 1. Kenai- C. Stock (Knudson) 10:21.
Second period — 2. Houston- Squires (unassisted) 10:42; 3. Kenai- Beiser (J. Stock) 7:37.
Third period — 3. Kenai- Beiser (C. Stock) 00:04.
Shots on goal: Kenai 13-8-19—40; Houston 4-9-4—17; Saves: Kenai- Cross 4-8-4—16, Houston- Smoldon 12-7-18—37.
Soldotna 4, Colony 1
Friday, Menard Arena
First period — 1. Soldotna- A. Montague (unassisted) 7:06; 2. Soldotna- A. Montague (Urban) 4:10.
Second period — 3. Soldotna- Brantley III (Nye) 12:06.
Third period — 4. Soldotna- Haakenson (Urban, Kopp) 7:57; 5. Colony- Holman (Diltz, Korynta) 5:13.
Shots on goal: Soldotna 6-11-4—21, Colony 10-7-14—31; Saves: Soldotna- Tree 10-7-13—30, Colony- Shepard 4-10-3—17.
Palmer 8, Kenai 1
Friday, MTA Events Center
First period — 1. Palmer- Hooks (Matlock, Theisen) 13:53; 2. Palmer- Matlock (Hooks) 13:20; 3. Palmer- Z. Nelius (Biddle) 11:55; 4. Palmer- Hayes (Hooks, Biddle) 11:34; 5. Palmer- Brooks (A. Nelius, Stoll) 4:35; 6. Kenai- Maxson (West) 2:03.
Second period — 7. Palmer- Thiesen (Matlock) sh 12:35.
Third period — 8. Palmer- Z. Nelius (Weaver, Wilson) sh 9:30; 9. Palmer- Z. Nelius (Brooks, Theisen) 0:44.
Shots on goal: Kenai 9-8-7—24, Palmer 16-9-9—34; Saves: Kenai- Coppes 11-8-7—26, Palmer- Horacek 9-1-x—10, Heard x-7-7—14.
