Sports

North Stars knock off nation's top-ranked team at hockey nationals

Chris Gardeline stopped 37 shots Friday to backstop the Anchorage North Stars to victory over the nation's top-ranked Tier II 18 and under boys team at the USA Hockey Youth Nationals in Troy, Michigan.

The Alaskans beat the Delaware Ducks, ranked No. 1 by myhockeyrankings.com, to even their tournament record at 1-1-0.

Bradley Kuper and Spencer Penman each scored one goal and assisted on another for the Alaskans, and Taylor Dunn and John Matson added goals.

Friday brought Day 2 of three days of pool play at national tournaments across the nation.

Alaska's nine teams at nationals went 4-3-2 on Friday and have gone a combined 10-6-2 in the first two days of tournament action. All those teams are playing in Tier II, the second level of youth hockey.

Here's how Alaska's other entries fared Friday:

BOYS

18 and under – The Fairbanks Arctic Lions (0-2-0) lost for the second straight day, falling 5-1 to the AHU Knights of Arizona in Troy, Michigan.

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Logan Arpino scored the Lions' goal.

16 and under – The Alaska Junior Avalance (2-0-0) rolled past the DYHA Firebirds of Arizona, 5-1, and have outscored opponents 9-1 in two games in Plano, Texas.

Larsen Tubbs scored two goals for the Avs, and Cooper Smith and Hayden Moistner each furnished one goal and one assist. Taylor Foster scored a goal and Joshua Boyer had two helpers.

Also in that 2A division, the Alaska Oilers (1-1-0) fell 4-1 to the Delaware Ducks.

14 and under – After surrendering three goals inside the opening seven minutes, the Mat-Su Eagles (2-0-0) stormed back to gain a tie by first intermission and beat the Davis Eagles of Utah, 5-3, in Salt Lake City.

Max Helgeson and Porter Schachle spurred the comeback with two goals and an assist each. Grant Epple added a goal and Zachary Plucinski generated two helpers.

Also in that division, the Anchorage Mighty Moose (1-1-0) lost 2-1 to Chesterfield, Missouri. Blake Hausinger scored for the Alaskans.

GIRLS

19 and under – The Alaska Icebreakers (1-0-1) got a goal from Mackenzie Sylvester, but lost 2-1 in a shootout to Sabre, Illinois, in East Lansing, Michigan.

16 and under – Gabrielle Gibson stopped 10 shots to post her second straight shutout and spark Team Alaska (2-0-0) to 6-0 victory over the Highland Park Falcons (Illinois) in East Lansing.

Emily Kubicek delivered one goal and two assists, and Mikayla Lantto, Tana Bartels, Morgan Dupont and Helena Brice all contributed one goal and one assist. Jaden Trboyevich also scored a goal.

14 and under – The Kenai Peninsula Hockey Association Ice Hawks received goals from Journey Miller and Ann Shelden, but lost 3-2 in overtime to the Falcons (Illinois) in East Lansing.

Shelden has scored three of the Ice Hawks' (0-1-1) five goals in the tournament.

Other Alaskans – Clair DeGeorge of Anchorage had two assists for the Shattuck-St. Mary's (Minnesota) girls, who beat Team Wisconsin 6-1 at the Tier I 16 and under tournament in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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