Anchorage Daily News

For the first two and a half periods, Chugiak seemed to have bagged its first Cook Inlet Conference title in 13 years.

But in a matter of seconds, Dimond changed the outcome.

Thanks to a flurry of goals by Andrew Treptow and Eric Vilce, Dimond flattened Chugiak's crusade.

The senior forwards scored just 21 seconds apart midway through the third period to lift Dimond over red-hot Chugiak 3-1 Saturday in the CIC championship game before a capacity crowd at Ben Boeke Arena.

Dimond scored its goals so quickly Vilce couldn't recall how either happened.

"I just took off and ... I don't know," he said. "It was so fast, I don't even remember. I wish I could, but I can't."

Between the second and third periods, Dimond coach Dennis Sorenson told his players to chill out. They trailed 1-0 and were frustrated. Chugiak goaltender James McCurtain, meanwhile, sported 20 saves.

"We knew (scoring) was going to come sooner or later," Vilce said. "McCurtain played awesome, but he couldn't stop them all."

The Mustangs (19-5-1) went into the contest riding a seven-game win streak and were the hottest team in the conference, winning nine of their last 10.

But Dimond (23-2-0) sought revenge. The Lynx were undefeated going into the second-to-last game of the regular season. Chugiak spoiled the bid for perfection, beating Dimond 3-1 on Jan. 22 at the McDonald Center.

But on Saturday night, with more than 800 crazed high school hockey fans watching, the Lynx went home with the two-goal victory and their first championship since 2001.

Dimond beat East 5-1 that year, but since then the Lynx went winless (0-4) in conference title games. Senior Mickey Geraghty was on the roster for two of those seasons.

"It's been three years coming for me, and it feels good to get it my senior year," said the 225-pound netminder, who finished with 17 saves. "This was the best Chugiak had played all year."

Kyle Whetham put Chugiak on the scoreboard first with 1:06 left in the second period.

Seconds before scoring his eighth goal of the season, Dimond was penalized for too many men on the ice.

The Mustangs quickly took advantage of their first power play of the evening.

With a herd of Dimond and Chugiak players crowding the net, Whetham somehow got a stick on the puck and slapped it directly through the legs of Geraghty for the 1-0 lead.

McCurtain looked unstoppable. Teammates seemed to feed off his energy. He turned away eight shots in the first period and 12 in the second.

But after shutting out his last two opponents (5-0 win over East and 8-0 victory over South), the 6-foot-2, 200-pound senior and his Mustang defense collectively unbuckled.

"We thought we had it, but just couldn't put it away," said McCurtain, who finished with 26 saves.

Standing near the right circle, Ryan Cole fed a crisp pass to Treptow as he skated right to left in front of the net.

Moving away from the net, Treptow backhanded the shot, which sailed just over McCurtain's shoulder with 6:11 left.

Dimond fans erupted.

"In games like, this kids lose focus," Sorenson said. "We got lucky enough to get another quick one."

On the faceoff, Dimond controlled the puck and attacked.

With a mob of Dimond players standing point blank from McCurtain, Vilce punched in the game winner with 5:50 left. He took out the net in the process.

In the closing minutes, with McCurtain pulled, six Chugiak players collectively bombarded Geraghty with five shots.

"The last minute was crazy," Geraghty said. "They've got six guys, and you just have to stay solid. My defense did a great job keeping them out.

"It was a complete team effort."

The Lynx haven't won the Class 4A state title since 2001, so Geraghty and company are looking forward to Thursday's start of the state tournament at the Menard Memorial Arena in Wasilla.

But with the way Chugiak is playing, the Mustangs may get a rematch.

"It would have been nice to win," McCurtain said. "But we'll put this one behind us and go into state strong."

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Find Kevin Klott online at adn.com/contact/kklott or call 257-4335.

Cook Inlet Conference Championship Game

At Ben Boeke Arena

Chugiak0 1 0 -- 1

Dimond0 0 3 -- 3

First Period -- None. Penalties -- Chugiak 1 for 2; Dimond 0 for 0.

Second Period -- 1, Chugiak, Wetham (Geurts, Shepard), 13:54 (pp). Penalties -- Chugiak 1 for 2; Dimond 1 for 2.

Third Period -- 2, Dimond, An. Treptow (Cole), 8:49; 3, Dimond, Vilce, 9:10; 4, Dimond, An Treptow (Fairchild), 14:59 (en). Penalties -- Chugiak 1 for 2; Dimond 3 for 6.

Goalies -- Chugiak, McCurtain 8-12-6--26; Dimond, Geraghty 2-8-7--17.

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Past CIC champs

Past Cook Inlet Conference prep hockey Champions and Runners-up

YearChampRunner-up

2008Dimond 3Chugiak 12007South 4West 0

2006South 2Dimond 1

2005South 3Dimond 0

2004Service 2Chugiak 0

2003Service 3Dimond 2 OT

2002Service 1Dimond 0

2001Dimond 5East 1

2000Service 2Dimond 1

1999Service 4Dimond 3

1998Dimond 4Service 3 2OT

1997Service 4East 3

1996Dimond 9East 1

1995Chugiak 5East 4 OT

1994Dimond 4Chugiak 1

1993East 6Chugiak 4

1992East 4Service 1

1991Service 4Chugiak 1

1990Service 4West 1

1989Service 3East 0

1988West 2Dimond 1

1987Service 2Dimond 1

1986Service 8Dimond 4

1985Dimond 3Service 1

1984Service 5Dimond 1

1983Dimond 5Bartlett 4

1982Service 6Bartlett 4

1981East 8Bartlett 4

1980Service 4Bartlett 1

1979Dimond 4East 2

1978East 6Dimond 3

1977East 8Service 3

1976Bartlett 4Service 2

1975Service 3Dimond 1

1974Service 5Dimond 4

1973Service 4Dimond 1

1972Dimond 3West 1

1971West 3Dimond 2 OT

1970West 4Dimond 3

All-CIC Team

Forwards -- Micah Wheeler, Chugiak; James McMullen, Chugiak; Erik Cooper, Dimond; Nolan Youngmun, Dimond; Jon Ellis, East; Ryan Luiten, East; Ryan Kowal, Service; Kory Roy, Service; Logan Rounds, Service; Robb Haider, South; Connor Wright, South; Casey Bailey, West.

Defensemen -- Matt Geurts, Chugiak; Dan Carson, South; Trevor Allred, South; David Piccard, East; Cody Mesick, Dimond; Dax Lauwers, Dimond.

Goaltenders -- James McCurtain, Chugiak; Garrett Barr, South.

Coach of the Year -- Dennis Sorenson, Dimond

Academic Award -- tie, Dimond and South.

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