Levi Hensley scored the game-winning goal for Soldotna early in the third period against Homer and the Stars went on to beat the Mariners 5-4 Saturday at the End of the Road Shootout tournament in Homer.
The tournament was won by Dimond’s JV with a 3-0 record.
Hensley broke a 2-2 tie with an assist from Cameron Knowlton with 12 minutes, 21 seconds, remaining in the game, and Ethan Brown added an insurance goal just 1:51 later.
Dimitry Kuzmin scored with 9:29 left to close the deficit to one goal, but the Stars held strong to seal the win.
Including a Friday loss to Dimond, SoHi moved its season record to 4-5 overall. Homer currently stands at 2-5-1 overall.
SoHi sophomore goalie Billy Yoder stopped 29 of 33 shots on goal, while Homer’s Hunter Warren and Riley Swanson combined to stop 19 of 24 shots for Homer. Warren faced eight shots and gave up three before Swanson came in and faced 16 shots.
Knowlton, Calvin Hills and Jace Urban all scored in the first period, while Homer’s Robby Larson opened the scoring just over four minutes into the game. Tim Blakely and Douglas Dean scored each in the second period to help the Mariners draw even. Homer outshot Soldotna 17-1 in the second period.
Dimond 9, Houston 1
The Lynx scored four goals in the first period to rout the Hawks Saturday at the End of the Road Shootout in Homer.
John Novak and Riley Sloane each scored twice with one assist for Dimond, while Houston’s lone goal came early in the second period courtesy of Isaac Smolden.
Dimond 6, Soldotna 1
The Lynx broke open a scoreless affair with two goals in the second period, then added four more to ice the game Friday against Soldotna at the End of the Road Shootout in Homer.
Riley Sloane scored twice for Dimond, including the first goal 4:25 into the second frame.
Soldotna’s lone score came with 10:36 to go in the third period by Cameron Knowlton, with an assist from Corey Hanson.
Houston 2, Homer 1
The Hawks rallied from behind to pick up a win Friday at the End of the Road Shootout in Homer.
Dawson Roberts opened the scoring 5:28 into the game to put Homer up 1-0, but Houston responded quickly with a strike by Reed Humphreys just 26 seconds later to even it up. Houston’s Isaac Smolden notched the go-ahead winner in the second period to seal the win.
Hawks goalie Caleb Beauvais saved 32 of 33 shots on goal for Houston, while Riley Swanson stopped 14 of 16 shots for Homer.
Saturday
Stars 5, Mariners 4
Soldotna 3 0 2 —5
Homer 1 2 1 —4
1st period — 1. Homer, Larson (Menke), 4:14; 2. Soldotna, Knowlton (unassisted), 8:01; 3. Soldotna, Hills (Wirz), 8:52; 4. Soldotna, Urban (Hensley), 14:51. Penalties — Homer 1 for 2:00.
2nd period — 5. Homer, Blakely (Roberts, Larson), 9:46; 6. Homer, Dean (Kuzmin), 9:55. Penalties — Soldotna 4 for 8:00, Homer 1 for 2:00.
3rd period — 7. Soldotna, Hensley (Knowlton), 2:39; 8. Soldotna, Brown (unassisted), 4:30; 9. Homer, Kuzmin (Tillion), 5:31. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Soldotna 17-1-6—24; Homer 5-17-11—33.
Goalies — Soldotna, Yoder (33 shots, 29 saves); Homer, Warren (8 shots, 5 saves), Swanson (14 saves, 16 shots).
