The Kenai Kardinals opened Railbelt Conference hockey play with a 4-4 overtime tie with the Homer Mariners, Homer’s second overtime game in as many days.
Kenai and Homer played even through regulation time and battled through an eight minute overtime without a goal for a 4-4 decision.
Kenai 4 – Homer 4
Kenai scored first with a Daniel Sheldon goal at 12:27 of the first period for a 1-0 Kenai lead.
In the second period Kenai and Homer combined for five goals. Tyler Gilliland tied the game for the Mariners at 5:33; then Kenai’s Nate Beiser gave Kenai back the lead on a four-on-four goal just :21 seconds later. Blake Bucho staked Kenai to a 3-1 lead midway through second before a pair of short-handed Homer goals tied the contest at 3-3.
The third period played-out evenly for 11 and half minutes until Zach Burnett netted the go-ahead goal for Kenai. Homer’s Isaiah Nevak -tied the game at 4-4 just :39 seconds later. Score after regulation: Kenai 4 – Homer 4.
The Kard and Mariners skated through the eight minute overtime without a goal, final score 4-4.
Thomas Baker in goal for the Kardinals recorded 42 saves; Homer’s Keegan Strong recorded 19 saves.
