HIGH SCHOOL HOCKEY
Goals are sparse with Corey in net
STINGY: South goalie has allowed just two shots to get by him this year.
Published: November 30, 2006
Last Modified: November 30, 2006 at 05:16 AM
South High goaltender Nathan Corey is great at turning away hockey pucks. He's even better at deflecting attention.
Despite making 17 saves Wednesday to backstop South's 2-0 victory over arch rival Dimond, Corey credited his teammates. And even though the senior has racked up more shutouts (three) than goals allowed (two) this season, he downplayed his achievements.
"No one player can hold up a team by himself," Corey said outside the locker room at Ben Boeke Arena. "I've got a lot of good players in front of me. I owe a lot to them."
Indeed, the defending state champion Wolverines (9-0) are loaded with skilled players from the Robb Haider line to the blue line. It's a big reason why South has outscored opponents 53-4 this season and is favored to repeat as state champion.
But stingy defense -- anchored by arguably the best high school goaltender in Alaska -- makes the Wolverines the most balanced team in the state. If they don't beat your brains in offensively, they will shut you down defensively.
"You gotta do everything right against South," said Dimond's Nolan Youngmun.
South proved that Wednesday night in front of a standing-room only crowd, jumping out to a 1-0 lead just 68 seconds into the game and playing shutout defense the rest of the way.
The Wolverines controlled the flow of play, at time even while playing short-handed. Dimond managed just one shot on goal with a two-man advantage in the final 47 seconds of the first period.
Corey was at his best in the second period -- and a little lucky -- when a Dimond wrist shot grazed off the crossbar.
A little later, though, he turned in the save of the night when he denied Dimond's JJ Waldrop at the doorstep to preserve a 1-0 cushion. Five minutes later he snared Trevor Marrs' wicked slap shot with his glove.
"You can't really anticipate what they're gonna do," Corey said. "They make a certain move and you have to react to it."
Corey said he doesn't remember stopping Waldrop from point-blank range, chalking the save up to an impulsive reaction. But South head coach Mike Ashley, a veteran of Alaska high school hockey, will never forget it.
"I've never seen a save like that," Ashley said. "He was falling backwards."
South defenseman Braden Kinnebrew laughed when he heard that Corey couldn't remember the highlight of his big night.
"He's just being modest," Kinnebrew said with a big smile. "He got that toe way back there and got just enough of it to stop it. It was a great save."
Corey finished with one more save this his Dimond counterpart, Mickey Geraghty (16 saves), on a night when defense was the name of the game. There were no soft goals in this rivalry game -- just big saves and big hits.
"I love playing Dimond. It's always a close game," Corey said. "You can't ask for anything more."
Daily News reporter Van Williams can be reached at vwilliams@adn.com or 257-4335
