SoHi hockey claims 3rd Carlin Cup victory

SoHi claimed their third consecutive Carlin Cup victory against Homer on Saturday at Kevin Bell Arena, scoring nine points to the Mariners’ one. Despite the overwhelming win, both team coaches acknowledged that Homer fought hard throughout the game.

Homer head coach Spencer Warren texted later Saturday afternoon that the Mariners played “two solid periods of hockey” that day.

“Got away from us in the second period for sure,” he wrote. “Despite lots of injuries, the kids really stepped it up and were blocking lots of shots.”

The Stars were up to eight goals by the end of the second period. Homer rallied in the third, battling SoHi for the puck as goalie Ali Gall blocked attempt after attempt by the Stars to score again. SoHi scored their ninth and final goal about halfway through the final period.

SoHi head coach Anthony Zurfluh said that he was proud of the way the Stars played.

“We have been kind of in a goal slump, so it was nice to break a game open and score some goals,” he wrote in an email to Homer News Sunday. “Homer played a good disciplined game. We were just the better team.”

The Carlin Cup is named for former Soldotna and Homer hockey coach John Carlin. Carlin coached at SoHi for nearly 10 years in the 1990s, then at Homer High School from 2013-2016.

Carlin passed away in March following a 19-month battle with pancreatic cancer. As in previous games, both SoHi and Homer players wore purple socks, and some fans wore purple as well. Purple lights were also strung above the rink on Saturday.

Warren wrote that while Saturday’s end score was not the outcome Homer wanted, “the moral and love for the game was definitely there today — a message we really drove home prior because that’s how John Carlin played/coached.”

“This was the first game he wasn’t there with us in person but his presence was definitely felt,” Warren wrote.

Zurfluh wrote that the Stars were “super happy” to be a part of the Carlin Cup.

“John was a good friend of mine,” he wrote.

The Carlin Cup is also a fundraiser for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, or PanCAN. Homer manager Matt Stineff said via text Saturday that $1,500 was raised during the game for the organization.

The Stars are 6-6-1 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

The Mariners are now 1-9 overall and 0-5 in conference play. Homer will be back on the ice after the winter break, travelling to Juneau for conference play.

Friday

The host Homer hockey team fell 3-2 to the Kenai Central High School Kardinals in a “close” game on Friday, Dec. 12 at Kevin Bell Arena.

Warren said that the match against Kenai was “a great performance” from Homer.

“The kids are showing a lot of heart this season and I’m proud of them,” he texted Saturday. “The wins will come, we just have to learn how to win again. We are embracing the grind and everyone is onboard.”