The Houston hockey team defeated Soldotna 5-0 in the championship game of the Big Lake Lions Classic at the Big Lake Lions Recreation Center on Saturday night.
The Stars fell to 7-4 and saw a four-game losing streak snapped.
In the Saturday final, Houston took control of the game with three goals in the first period. Daniel Matveev, Philip Kuzmin and Afanasy Efimov lit the lamp in the period.
Matveev then scored in the second period and Dommin Efimov finished the scoring in the third period.
Ayden See made 29 saves for the Stars, while Ari Burnside recorded the shutout for Houston with 21 saves.
Friday, Soldotna defeated Palmer 4-3 in overtime in the semifinals. The Stars also won their first round tournament game in overtime, toppling Wasilla 3-2.
Dylan Dahlgren had the winner with 4:03 left in overtime, getting an assist from Silas Larsen. Soldotna had been able to kill off a penalty earlier in overtime.
The Stars were in overtime after a crazy finish to regulation. Jeremy Horacek broke a 2-all tie with a goal for Palmer with 1:43 left in the game.
Soldotna’s Gehret Medcoff came right back with a goal with 18.6 seconds to play. Aiden Burcham and Josh O’Lena had the assists.
Stars head coach Anthony Zurfluh texted after the game that his squad did not let up, even with its back to the wall.
Zurfluh said defensemen Dahlgren, Burcham, Zack Zurfluh and Andrew Arthur all had great games, and goalie Ayden See, with 25 saves, stood on his head once again. Joshua Horacek stopped 25 for Palmer.
Soldotna scored twice on the power play in the first 10 minutes of the game for a 2-0 lead. Marshall DeRaeve scored on an assist from Arthur and Josh O’Lena scored on assists from Silas Larsen and Arthur.
Palmer would tie the game on a late first period goal on the power play from Stuart McQuillin and an early third period strike from Jeremy Horacek.
Homer 4, Juneau 3
After the two squads played to a tie Thursday night in Railbelt Conference play, the host Mariners notched the victory Friday at Kevin Bell Ice Arena.
Homer improves to 3-1-1 in the league and 4-6-1 overall.
The Crimson Bears jumped out front in the first period on a goal from Anne Dale, but Homer tied it before the end of the first when Matfey Reutov scored on an assist from Brock Barth.
The Mariners were up 3-1 at the end of the second after goals from Micah Williamson, assisted by Reutov and Ethan Drake, and Kazden Stineff, assisted by Reutov and Dylan Arno.
With 11:31 left in the game, Juneau cut the gap to 3-2 on a strike from Sonny Monsef. With 2:36 left, Homer got some breathing room when Barth scored on assists from Owen Pitzman and Hunter Green.
Fin Shibler scored with 1:33 left for Homer.
Keegan Strong made 37 saves for Homer, while Brayden Baxter stopped 25 for the Crimson Bears.
Friday
Soldotna 4, Palmer 3, OT
Soldotna 2 0 1 1 —4
Homer 1 0 2 0 —3
First period — 1. Soldotna, DeRaeve (Arthur), pp, 6:48; 2. Soldotna, O’Lena (Larsen, Arthur), pp, 9:59; 3. Palmer, McQuillin (Armstrong), pp, 14:37. Penalties — Soldotna 4 for 8:00; Palmer 3 for 6:00.
Second period — none. Penalties — Palmer 2 for 4:00.
Third period — 4. Palmer, Je. Horacek (Von Gunten), 1:16; 5. Palmer, Je. Horacek (Wilson), 13:17; 6. Soldotna, Medcoff (Burcham, O’Lena), 14:42. Penalties — Soldotna 4 for 8:00; Palmer 5 for 10:00.
Overtime — 7. Soldotna, Dahlgren (Larsen), 3:57. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Soldotna 8-13-6-2—29; Palmer 11-7-7-3—28.
Goalies — Soldotna, See (28 shots, 25 saves); Palmer, Jo. Horacek (29 shots, 25 saves).
Mariners 4, Crimson Bears 3
Juneau 1 0 2 —3
Homer 1 2 1 —4
First period — 1. Juneau, Dale (Roomsburg, Moller), 2:30; 2. Homer, Reutov (Barth), 9:00. Penalties — Juneau 1 for 2:00; Homer 3 for 6:00.
Second period — 3. Homer, Williamson (Reutov, Drake), 5:41; 4. Homer, Stineff (Reutov, Arno), 5:55. Penalties — Juneau 1 for 2:00.
Third period — 5. Juneau, Monsef (Shibler, Peirovi), 3:29; 6. Homer, Barth (Pitzman, Green), 12:24; 7. Juneau, Shibler (Johns, Peirovi), 13:27. Penalties — Juneau 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Juneau 13-10-17—40; Homer 6-14-9—29.
Goalies — Juneau, Baxter (29 shots, 25 saves); Homer, Strong (40 shots, 37 saves).
