The weekend before Thanksgiving the Kenai Kardinals hockey team dropped three straight games during the Kenai River Cup, and if you don’t remember that, it’s fine, neither do they. In a display of pure savagery this weekend, the Kardinals took every cent of their opponents’ lunch money, notching three straight wins in three days by a combined score of 22-2.
The carnage began on Thursday night when Homer came to town, and continued through Friday and Saturday when the Tri Valley Viking Warriors worked in an unscheduled trip down from Healy for a two-game set against the Kardinals.
The red birds took no prisoners, and at one point scored 19 unanswered goals over a seven period stretch. A shoutout streak which is as much a testament to the goaltending as it was Kenai dominating time of possession.
Calling the return of Logan Mese and Avery Martin to the Kardinals’ lineup helpful might be understating the duo’s role—since it would be similar to calling Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday helpful at the OK Corral. Technically true, but probably not capturing the whole scene. The first-line pair combined for 20 total points (10 goals and 10 assists).
Also, the third amigo from the first line’s forwards, Will Howard, basically picked up where he left off while his gunslinging teammates were out of town. Howard extended his streak of consecutive games scoring a goal to five, picking up four goals and three assists over the weekend.
On the defensive side of things, credit standout performances from Vincent Steen, Ethan Tree, and Vincent Steen, who turned the Kenai zone into a deserted island. Kardinals’ opponents only managed 38 shots on goal in three games. Of those 38 shots however, Kenai goalies Seanna Swanson and Evyn Witt combined to stop 36.
On to the recaps.
The Kardinals came out looking a little sluggish in the first period, perhaps still burning off some turkey and pumpkin pie, but still managed to net two goals—Howard at 7:29 and Martin at 10:31 (Mese assisted on both).
In the second, Kenai started to find their stride, and added three goals to their lead while yielding none in return. Steen scored first (4:05), followed by Vermette (11:09), and then Martin for the second time on the night (12:07), scoring while the Kardinals were shorthanded. 5-0 Kenai after two periods.
Mese joined the scoring parade in the third period, finding the back of the net one minute in, and Sawyer Vann provided the night cap, giving the Kardinals their 7-0 final when he sent one in from the blue line at 13:24.
Goals: (KEN) Martin 2, Howard, Steen, Vermette, Mese, Vann
Assists: (KEN) Mese 3, Vann 2, Vermette, Smith, Martin
Saves: (KEN) Swanson 8/8; (HOM) Banks 33/40
Kenai 7, Tri Valley 0
The Thursday and Friday games between Kenai and the Tri-Valley Viking Warriors were not originally on either teams’ schedules, but some last minute shuffling and a two day trip south from Healy for Tri Valley brought some extra hockey to Kenai.
The Kardinals picked up right where they left off against Homer, exploding in the first period for four goals. Will Howard opened the scoring, unassisted, 1:20 into the first period with what is becoming something of a signature 45 foot snap shot. Avery Martin netted the second goal of the period (4:26). A Logan Mese goal at 6:51, and another from Howard 13:00 gave the Kardinals a 4-0 lead after one period.
With the four goal advantage, Kenai turned the ice over to their second and third lines in the second period. They managed to extend their lead by one when Cole Langham scored from the blue line at 6:04. 5-0 Kardinals.
In the third period Mese (7:15) and Langham (13:33) each scored for the second time in the game. Final score: 7-0.
In his first game with the team, Kenai goal tender Evyn Witt looked very lithe against the modest 14 shots on goal from the Viking Warriors.
Goals: (KEN) Howard 2, Mese 2, Martin, Cowie, C. Langham
Assists: (KEN) Mese 2, Verkuilen 2, Howard 2, Tree, Potton, Martin, Smith
Saves: (KEN) Witt 14/14; (TV) Graham 32/39
Kenai 8, Tri Valley 2
The Kardinals’ second game against Tri Valley didn’t see daylight shining into the rink until the third period. In order to not interfere with other events scheduled for the ice, the game had an 8:00 AM start time.
The Viking Warriors made some defensive adjustments, and actually held Kenai scoreless for the majority of the opening period. That is, until Will Howard broke out the sniper stick from 45 feet at 10:22 to get the Kardinals offense going; 1-0 heading into the second.
Speaking of the Kenai offense getting going, it definitely did that and more in the second period. Mese (0:43, 11:47) and Martin (3:54, 7:27) scored two goals apiece. Braden Smith (6:09) found the net as well for his first goal of the weekend. Tri Valley ended Kenai’s streak of periods without allowing a goal when Michael Renshaw scored unassisted at 9:27. 6-1 Kenai after two.
The second line took over for Kenai in the third period. At 8:40 Gavin Liles capitalized on a sliver of space in the slot to slip the puck past Tri Valley goalie Elijah Graham. Renshaw doubled his weekend point total, beating Seanna Swanson with a wrister from the left circle at 10:26. Sawyer Vann finished off the scoring at 12:22, ultimately giving the game its final score of 8-2.
Goals: (KEN) Mese 2, Martin 2, Howard, Smith, Liles, Vann; (TV) Renshaw 2
Assists: (KEN) Hayes 2, Mese 2, Vann, Verkuilen, Cowie, Tree; (TV) Jusczak
Saves: (KEN) Swanson 14/16; (TV) Graham 29/37