Old friends, acquaintances and teammates renewed their on-ice rivalries Tuesday night at the Soldotna Region Sports Complex in the Soldotna-Kenai alumni hockey game.
The Stars came away with the 5-4 victory, scoring three goals in the second period then holding off the Kards in the third to secure the win in the 19th annual alumni game.
The game matched former Soldotna High School hockey alums against Kenai Central hockey alumni. Past players from both Nikiski and Skyview were also invited to compete. The fundraiser game was sponsored by the Kenai Hockey Booster Club with funds going to the Kenai Central hockey team.
Kenai took an early lead, getting goals from Zack Mese and Trevor Baldwin to stake out a 2-1 lead after one period. Former Soldotna player Mario Gomez scored the opening netter.
In the middle stanza, Hunter Sirios, Clayton Glick and Nate Anderson all notched a goal to put the Stars ahead 4-2 with only 20 minutes remaining.
Kenai alum Phillip Ischi tried to rally the Kards with two goals in the third period, but SoHi alum Patty Iverson’s goal with 13:56 left in the game proved to be the difference.
2014 Soldotna graduate Cody Harvey was credited with the win in goal, stopping 40 of 44 shots, while Kenai’s Dan Silver saved 42 of 47 shots to receive the loss. Jenna Redford — niece of Richard Redford — presented the game-winning “Richard Redford Cup” to the Stars.
Event organizer Rick Koch wrote in an email that before the game, senator Peter Micciche addressed the crowd — estimated at 400 to 450 — and presented Joel Overway and Jeremy Love with the “Methuselah Award”, indicating that they were the oldest members from each team on the ice that night. Overway is a Kenai Central alum while Love is a Soldotna alum.
Tim Iverson was randomly drawn for a one-shot puck shoot to win a new 2015 Ford Fiesta from Stanley Ford, but “unfortunately Tim missed in spectacular fashion,” according to Koch.
Koch also mentioned that Tim Navarre came dressed as Santa Claus and “did a great job handing out candy canes and visiting with the kids.”
Tuesday, Alumni Game
Stars 5, Kardinals 4
Soldotna 1 3 1 —5
Kenai Central 2 0 2 —4
1st period — 1. Soldotna, Gomez (Love), 7:28; 2. Kenai, Z. Mese (Wagoner, I. Mese), 5:27; 3. Kenai, Baldwin (Z. Mese), :45.
2nd period — 4. Soldotna, Sirios (Miller, Lott), 15:16; 5. Soldotna, Glick (Kerkvliet), 5:52; 6. Soldotna, Anderson (unassisted), 1:45.
3rd period — 7. Kenai, Ischi (Wagoner, I. Mese), 17:38; 8. Soldotna, Iverson (Anderson), 13:56; 9. Kenai, Ischi (Forest), 11:49.
Shots on goal — Soldotna 17-18-12—47; Kenai 20-10-14—44.
Goalies — Soldotna, Harvey (44 shots, 40 saves); Kenai, Silver (47 shots, 42 saves).
Penalties — Soldotna 11 for 28:00; Kenai 5 for 10:00.
