ANAHEIM – Hockey all-star games are supposed to be wide-open, free-flowing affairs with enough goals scored for an entire month’s worth of action.
Nobody told that to Savannah Gutierrez and Landon Pavlisin.
Pavlisin and Gutierrez each made 11 saves in shutout first and second periods, respectively, to help lead the Stingers squad over the Crusaders, 6-2, in the varsity game of the sixth annual Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Games at Honda Center on Thursday.
JSerra’s Pavlisin made some impressive stops, including a sprawling left pad save to deny a two-on-one chances, but it was Edison’s Gutierrez that shut down a barrage of in-close opportunities to be named the ADHSHL’s first female All-Star MVP.
“It was all just fun,” Gutierrez said. “The play is a lot higher than what I’m used to playing in my regular (Division 3) league in high school, but I like that. I like playing at a higher level. Makes me a better player.”
Offensively, it was a connection between a pair of No. 13’s from Division 1 that spurred on the Stingers.
Erik Larsson of ADHSHL first-year school Tahoe Hockey Academy and Santa Margarita’s Leevi Selanne each put up a game-high three points and assisted on each other’s goals.
“We’re actually rivals,” Selanne said. “When we play Tahoe, we go head-to-head every time. Now we’re linemates all of a sudden and scoring goals together. It’s fun seeing a different aspect of the game.”
Larsson put home his first goal off a cross-crease assist from Selanne for the game’s opening goal, and Larsson assisted on Selanne’s lone goal to open the second period.
Selanne’s highlight came on his second assist as he gave a spinning backhand pass to Larsson who completed the give-and-go play and scored the Stingers’ sixth goal in the third period.
“I was thinking the shot at first, but then he was coming in,” Selanne said. “He passed me the puck, so I thought I’d pass it back to him and see what he can do.”
JSerra’s day didn’t end with Pavlisin’s performance as Blake Reed scored on a breakaway for a three-goal lead at the end of the first period. Jake Hager also shined by hitting targets in all four corners of the net in an incredible 19 seconds during the second intermission accuracy shooting challenge.
The Crusaders finally got on the board in the third period as Villa Park’s Justin Camba made it a four-goal deficit, 5-1. Camba also bested Selanne in the first intermission’s fastest skater competition final.
In the JV All-Star Game:
Racers 8, Aeros 1: Orange Lutheran’s Ethan Hirst was named MVP with a two-goal performance.
