The Kenai Central hockey team moved to 2-0 in the Railbelt Conference and 4-5 overall by sweeping two games from Kodiak on Friday and Saturday at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility.
After defeating the Bears 11-3 on Friday, Kenai notched a 9-2 victory on Saturday. The Bears are 0-2 and 0-5.
Rowan Wyszkowski got Kodiak off to a 1-0 lead just 50 seconds into the game, but after that Logan Mese, Landen Cialek and Avery Martin dominated the game for the Kardinals, who led 4-1 after the first period and 8-2 after the second period.
Cialek had three goals and two assists, Mese had five goals and three assists, and Martin had a goal and three assists. Sawyer Vann and Caden Warren added assists for Kenai.
Levi Crawford made 16 saves for the Kardinals, while Simon Lonheim and Aiden Johnson combined to stop 27 for the Bears. Kody Mitchell had the other goal for Kodiak.
Chugiak 5, Soldotna 1
The Division I Mustangs would have been a tough test if the Division II Stars were at full strength, but with SoHi missing key players, the Mustangs rolled to the nonconference win at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.
The Stars are 3-4-1 overall, while the Mustangs are 6-0-1.
Aiden McEwen and Fischer Sims gave Chugiak a 2-0 lead after the first period, then Hunter Merrick had it 3-0 after two periods.
After Malachi LaChance made it 4-0 Chugiak in the third period, Blake Bucho, assisted by Mikah Booth, lit the lamp for the Stars. Sims then finished the scoring for Chugiak.
Daegn Love stopped 22 for the Mustangs. For SoHi, Tanner Clyde saved 17 of 20 and Jackson Purcell stopped 33 of 35.
Saturday
Kardinals 9, Bears 2
Kodiak 1 1 0 —2
Kenai 4 4 1 —9
First period — 1. Kodiak, Wyszkowski (Aquino), 0:50; 2. Kenai, Cialek (Mese, Martin), 5:19; 3. Kenai, Mese (Vann, Martin), 8:54; 4. Kenai, Cialek (Mese), 9:16; 5. Kenai, Mese (un.), 11:28. Penalties — Kodiak 2 for 4:00; Kenai 1 for 2:00.
Second period — 6. Kenai, Cialek (Martin), 4:03; 7. Kenai, Mese (Cialek), 6:21; 8. Kodiak, Mitchell (Ardnt), 9:05; 9. Kenai, Martin (Mese, Cialek), 11:37; 10. Kenai, Mese (Warren), 13:23. Penalties — Kodiak 4 for 11:00.
Third period — 11. Kenai, Mese (un.), 6:41. Penalties — Kodiak 1 for 10:00; Kenai 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Kodiak 8-4-6—18; Kenai 15-7-14—36.
Goalies — Kodiak, Lonheim, Johnson (36 shots, 27 saves); Kenai, Crawford (18 shots, 16 saves).
Mustangs 5, Stars 1
Chugiak 2 1 2 —5
Soldotna 0 0 1 —1
First period — 1. Chugiak, McEwen (Greninger), 11:00; 2. Chugiak, Sims (Johnson), 12:39. Penalties — Chugiak 3 for 6:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.
Second period — 3. Chugiak, Merrick (Davis), 0:43. Penalties — Chugiak 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 4 for 11:00.
Third period — 4. Chugiak, LaChance (un.), 2:23; 5. Soldotna, Bucho (Booth), 5:16; 6. Chugiak, Sims (Theis, Davis), 6:14. Penalties — Chugiak 3 for 6:00.
Shots on goal — Chugiak 17-20-18—55; Soldotna 10-6-7—23.
Goalies — Chugiak, Love (23 shots, 22 saves); Soldotna, Clyde (20 shots, 17 saves), Purcell (35 shots, 33 saves).
