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State hockey tournament begins Thursday with West taking on Service

  • pencil Author: Anchorage Daily News
  • clock Updated: February 9
  • calendar Published February 9
West's Nicko Opinsky celebrates a goal in last year's state tournament at the Menard Center, where the Eagles lost to Dimond 3-2 in the first round. (Bill Roth / ADN)
West's Nicko Opinsky celebrates a goal in last year's state tournament at the Menard Center, where the Eagles lost to Dimond 3-2 in the first round. (Bill Roth / ADN)
West's Nicko Opinsky celebrates a goal in last year's state tournament at the Menard Center, where the Eagles lost to Dimond 3-2 in the first round. (Bill Roth / ADN)
West's Nicko Opinsky celebrates a goal in last year's state tournament at the Menard Center, where the Eagles lost to Dimond 3-2 in the first round. (Bill Roth / ADN)

The top-seeded West Eagles are part of the early show Thursday at the Division I high school hockey state tournament in Wasilla.

The Eagles, who captured the Cook Inlet Conference championship on Saturday night, will face the Service Cougars in the noon game at the Menard Center.

Defending state champion South will meet Homer at 2:30 p.m., Dimond and Colony will play at 5 p.m. and Eagle River will take on Wasilla at 7:30 p.m.

[They have more cheerleaders than skaters, but West Eagles have the firepower to rule CIC]

Homer is in the tournament thanks to its victory Saturday in the Division II state tournament in Fairbanks. The Division II champ is extended an invitation to play in the Division I tournament -- which showcases the state’s biggest schools -- and the Mariners accepted the offer.

Five of the tournament’s eight teams come from the eight-team CIC. Two others come from the four-team North Star Conference, which consists of Wasilla, Colony, Lathrop and West Valley.

[Homer Mariners capture Division II hockey crown]

West, the winner of the CIC’s regular-season championship and the CIC tournament championship, is on the opposite side of the bracket than second-seeded Dimond and third-seeded South. If Dimond and South both win first-round games, they would meet in a Friday semifinal game.

ASAA First National Cup hockey championships

Thursday’s games

Noon -- West vs. Service

2:30 p.m. -- South vs. Homer

5 p.m. -- Dimond vs. Colony

7:30 p.m. -- Eagle River vs. Wasilla

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