The Cook Inlet Conference's two undefeated boys high school hockey teams met for the first time this season and, well, let's just say those traditional Southside rivals came up a little short of producing a classic for the ages.
Dimond 6, Service 3.
On a Wednesday night when the Dimond Lynx Hockey Fights Cancer Fundraiser raised more than $2,500 for the Susan Butcher Family Center at the Providence Cancer Center through the sale of T-shirts and wristbands, and a silent jersey auction, neither team was really on its game at Ben Boeke Arena.
"It was choppy, there was no flow,'' said Service coach Joel Carter.
Still, first place was at stake and the outcome remained on the line entering the third period. That scenario seemed somewhat improbable after Dimond raced to a 3-0 first-period lead, not to mention a 3-1 edge and the luxury of a five-minute power play with more than five minutes to go in the second period.
That power play began after a delay of about 30 minutes to treat Dimond junior defenseman Mason Anderson, who was injured in a wicked collision with Service's Greg Johnson at 9:41 of the second period. Anderson appeared to be knocked out by the collision and struck his head on the ice as he crumpled.
As Dimond trainer Lynne Young quickly tended to Anderson and both head coaches -- Carter and Dimond's Dennis Sorenson -- kneeled next to the player, emergency personnel were immediately summoned. Fire fighters arrived in seven minutes, placed Anderson on a gurney and transported him to Alaska Regional Hospital. Meanwhile, the teams were sent to their dressing rooms and the ice was resurfaced before play resumed.
Anderson's father, Mike, later said by phone that, pending test results, early indications were his son suffered a mild concussion.
Johnson was issued a major penalty for contact to the head and a game disqualification.
Sorenson said Anderson's injury was difficult to digest.
"You know he's hurt, you don't know how much,'' Sorenson said. "That makes it tough.''
Dimond's Ben Heafer, who racked a hat trick, said things were somber in the Lynx dressing room during the delay.
"It was really hard,'' Heafer said. "We were all in the locker room, silent, thinking about him, hoping he's OK. We wanted to win it for him.''
At that point, Dimond led 3-1. Dawson Glover and Heafer both scored first-period goals on bad-angle shots from the goal line, and Heafer added a first-period goal on a Josh Larson rebound -- Anderson assisted on the latter goal. Service pulled within 3-1 on Andrew Cummings' rebound goal on the power play early in the second period.
The major penalty against Service (5-1 CIC), though, gave Dimond (6-0 CIC) an opportunity to put away the game. But two minor penalties against Dimond in a span of 33 seconds suddenly transferred the man advantage -- 4 on 3 -- to Service. Jeremy Smith's subsequent one-timer from the right point cut Dimond's lead to 3-2.
But 42 seconds into the third period, Heafer's centering pass from below the goal line ricocheted off the skate of a Service player and through the legs of Cougars goaltender Dustin Fritz (19 saves) for a 4-2 Dimond lead.
"We did a great job getting the momentum back, then the puck goes off a skate,'' Carter lamented. "We had some bad puck luck.''
Dimond defenseman Tyler Andrews scored on a backhanded, power-play wraparound deep into the third period to push the lead to 5-2. And although Cummings' second goal of the night pulled Service to within 5-3 with 71 seconds left, Kody Dubie's empty-net goal sealed the Lynx win.
On a night when neither team was near its best, it seemed fitting that Dimond's fourth line of Heafer, Larson and Joel Tomuro accounted for three goals.
"It's a big confidence booster,'' Heafer said. "We have to go out and prove we belong on varsity. Tonight, (the goals) were falling for us.''
Sorenson said Heafer and his line prospered the way fourth lines usually do -- through hard work and attention to detail.
"Limited ice time, hard workers,'' Sorenson said. "They were forechecking two guys, the third guy in the middle. Classic fourth line.''
Speaking of classic, the team's meet again Jan. 26 at Ben Boeke, and it's a safe bet they'll produce a game of high quality.
"We needed to prove ourselves and isolate ourselves in the standings,'' Heafer said. "We didn't play our best, but we still got the W.''
Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.
Dimond 3 0 3 -- 6
Service 0 2 1 -- 3
First Period -- 1, Dimond, Da. Glover (Austin), 2:02 (pp); 2, Dimond, Heafer (Crow), 10:21; 3, Dimond, Heafer (Larson, Anderson), 14:20. Penalties -- Service 2 penalties for 4 minutes, Dimond 1 for 2.
Second Period -- 4, Service, Cummings, 2:20 (pp); 5, Service, Smith (McInnis, Brown), 12:04 (pp). Penalties -- Service 2 for 15, Dimond 3 for 6.
Third Period -- 6, Dimond, Heafer (Larson), :42; 7, Dimond, Andrews (Bauer), 11:25 (pp); 8, Service, Cummings (Yawit), 13:49; 9, Dimond, K. Dubie (L. Dubie, Andrews), 14:27 (en). Penalties -- Service 2 for 4, Dimond 1 for 2.
Goalies -- Service, Fritz 4-4-11--19. Dimond, Sleater 4-5-6--15.
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