The Soldotna and Homer hockey teams started the End of the Road Shootout with Thursday victories in Homer.
The Stars, getting a hat trick from Ethan Brown, registered a 9-6 win over Houston, while Homer overcame Bartlett 6-1.
The big story for the Stars was Corey Hanson taking over in goal. Due to injuries and eligibility issues, Soldotna was desperate at the position. So Hanson took his place between the pipes in spite of never having played the position before.
He made 10 saves on 16 shots.
“I would give him first star of the game,” SoHi coach Derek Urban said after his team moved to 3-2 overall. “He did everything we asked him to do and then some.
“He kept us in the game and that’s all that we asked him to do.”
Urban said the Stars also did a great job of team defense in front of Hanson.
Clayton Longfellow and Ty Fenton had goals to push the Stars to a 2-0 lead, and after Houston cut the gap to 2-1, Justice Miller lit the lamp for SoHi. But the Hawks would strike again for a 3-2 game headed to the second period.
In the second period, Houston tied it before Brown got started with a goal for a 4-3 lead. But the Hawks would strike twice before the end of the second for a 5-4 lead.
Houston then went up 6-4 before the Stars scored five times unanswered for the victory. The tallies came from Brown, Coel Nelson, Levi Hensley, Miller and Brown again.
The tourney continues today as SoHi faces Bartlett at 5 p.m. and Homer faces Houston at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Bartlett and Houston play at 10 a.m. and Homer and SoHi play at 12:30 p.m.
Kenai’s game canceled in Juneau
The Kenai Central hockey team was unable to play its game in Juneau on Thursday because the Kards could not land due to foggy weather. The same two teams are scheduled to play Friday and Saturday.
Thursday
Stars 9, Hawks 6
Soldotna 3 1 5 —9
Houston 2 3 1 —6
First period — 1. Soldotna, Longfellow (Flanders), 1:18; 2. Soldotna, Fenton (Nelson, Longfellow), 4:40; 3. Houston, Hracha (Zweifel, Fortin), 10:07; 4. Soldotna, Miller (Crandall), 12:44; 5. Houston, Fortin (Zweifel), 14:42. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2:00; Houston 4 for 8:00.
Second period — 6. Houston, Fortin (un.), 0:21; 7. Soldotna, Brown (Nelson), 6:00; 8. Houston, Quincy (un.), 8:20; 9. Houston, Fortin (un.), 11:26. Penalties — Soldotna 5 for 10:00; Houston 2 for 4:00.
Third period — 10. Houston, Fortin (Hracha), 1:43; 11. Soldotna, Brown (Hensley); 12. Soldotna, Nelson (Endsley), 7:24; 13. Soldotna, Hensley (Crandall, Miller), 8:15; 14. Soldotna, Miller (Longfellow), 8:33; 15. Soldotna, Brown (Nelson, Crandall), 12:08. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 4:00; Houston 1 for 2:00.
Shots on goal — Soldotna 9-16-18—43; Houston 7-5-4—16.
Goalies — Houston, 43 shots, 34 saves; Soldotna, Hanson (16 shots, 10 saves).
