The Soldotna hockey team defeated Kenai Central 4-2 on Thursday in Railbelt Conference action at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility.

The Stars move to 3-1-0 in the league and 6-5-1 overall, while the Kardinals fall to 2-4-0 and 4-9-0.

Soldotna jumped to a 3-0 lead after the first period.

Jace Appelhans, assisted by Aiden Burcham, started the scoring for the Stars. Boone Theiler, assisted by Daniel Heath, and Dawson Lockwood, assisted by Blake Bucho and Liberty Miller, scored to close the period.

The Kardinals got on the board just 29 seconds into the second period, when Logan Mese scored on an assist from Landen Cialek.

With 2:30 to play in the second, Appelhans notched his second goal of the game, assisted by Theiler and Burcham.

Kenai’s Caden Warren had the lone goal of the third period, assisted by Mese and Sawyer Vann.

Jackson Purcell stopped 23 for the Stars, while Seanna Swanson had 19 saves for the Kardinals.

Thursday

Stars 4, Kardinals 2

Soldotna 3 1 0 —4

Kenai 0 1 1 —2

First period — 1. Soldotna, Appelhans (Burcham), 1:33; 2. Soldotna, Theiler (Heath), 8:18; 3. Soldotna, Lockwood (Bucho, Miller), 9:34. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 4:00; Kenai 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 4. Kenai, Mese (Cialek), 0:29; 5. Soldotna, Appelhans (Theiler, Burcham), 12:30. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2:00; Kenai 1 for 2:00.

Third period — 6. Kenai, Warren (Mese, Vann), 1:36. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2:00; Kenai 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal — Soldotna 10-8-5—23; Kenai 7-6-12—25.

Goalies — Soldotna, Purcell (25 shots, 23 saves); Kenai, Swanson (23 shots, 19 saves).