The hosting Homer hockey team fell to both Kenai and Soldotna in a pair of games over the weekend at the Kevin Bell Arena.

The Kardinals topped the Mariners 3-2 in overtime on Friday, before the Stars notched a 5-1 victory on Saturday. Kenai is now 4-1 overall and Soldotna is 3-2. The losses dropped Homer to 1-5.

Homer created a 2-0 lead after the first period in the game against Kenai on Friday, with goals by Casey Otis, assisted by Fiona Hatton, and Kazden Stineff, assisted by Hunter Green and Oits. The Kardinals were able to close the gap with a second-period goal from Blake Bucho and a third-period goal from Tucker Vann.

Kenai head coach Scott Sheldon said it felt great for the team to come back from 2-0 to win the game.

“Homer is just playing so hard, I mean it was such a great game,” he said. “But yeah, fun to win in overtime.”

Sheldon credited the Kardinals for being a good team and a close team.

“We play for each other,” he said. “And when you play for each other you don’t get frustrated, and you stick with it for 45 minutes. We got lucky, you know, but we stuck with it. Didn’t give up or get frustrated.”

In overtime, Kenai’s Regan Graves scored the winning shot after just 43 seconds.

Homer goaltender Keegan Strong had 37 saves out of 40 shots, while Kenai goalie Tommy Baker had 20 saves out of 22 shots by the Mariners.

On Saturday, Soldotna came out strong with two goals in the first period, scored by Spencer Kapp and Silas Larsen. Homer answered in the second period with what would be its only goal, scored Karl Wickstrom, assisted by Otis and Stineff.

The Stars solidified their lead with three more goals in the third.

Soldotna goaltender Ayden See made 13 saves out of 14 total shots from Homer, while freshman Homer goalie Blaise Banks made 19 saves out of Soldotna’s 24 shots.

Kardinals 3, Mariners 2, OT

Kenai 0, 1, 1, 1 —3

Homer 2, 0, 0 —2

First period — 1. Homer, Hatton, 12:43; 2. Homer, Stineff (Green, Otis), 14:48. Penalties — Homer 1 for 2 minutes.

Second period — 3. Kenai, Bucho (Stock, Vann), 4:45. Penalties — Kenai 1 for 2 minutes; Homer 1 for 2 minutes.

Third period — 4. Kenai, Vann (Bucho, Erwin), 6:45. Penalties — Kenai 4 for 8 minutes; Homer 5 for 10 minutes.

Overtime — 5. Kenai, Graves, 6:45. Penalties — none.

Goalies — Kenai, Baker (22 shots, 20 saves); Homer, Strong (40 shots, 37 saves).

Stars 5, Mariners 1

Soldotna 2, 0, 3, —5

Homer 0, 1, 0 —1

First period — 1. Soldotna, Kapp (O’Lena), 5:21; 2. Soldotna, Larsen (Kapp), 9:43. Penalties — Soldotna 1 for 2 minutes.

Second period — 3. Homer, Wickstrom (Otis, Stineff), 13:07. Penalties — Soldotna 3 for 6 minutes; Homer 2 for 4 minutes.

Third period — 4. Soldotna, Burcham (Howell), 3:05; 5. Soldotna, Arthur (un.), 10:54; 6. Soldotna, Haakenson (Walton, Burcham), 12:36. Penalties — Soldotna 3 for 6 minutes; Homer 4 for 8 minutes.

Goalies — Soldotna, See (14 shots, 13 saves); Homer, Banks (24 shots, 19 saves).

Freshman goaltender Blaise Banks stops a shot from Soldotna’s Silas Larsen during a Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 hockey game at the Kevin Bell Arena in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)

Homer’s Casey Otis takes the puck through a group of Soldotna Stars during a Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 hockey game at the Kevin Bell Arena in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Megan Pacer/Homer News)