PALMER — The Stars surged in the third, but Soldotna was stopped short of becoming the first Peninsula team to knock off a Valley squad in North Star Conference play this season.
Soldotna tallied three goals in the third, but Palmer held on for a 5-4 victory over the Stars on Friday the MTA Events Center in Palmer.
Taylor Foster bagged Palmer’s final two goals of the night to help the Moose thwart the upset-minded Stars. Foster’s first score of the game gave the Moose the 4-1 lead late in the second. His goal with 9:42 left in regulation proved to be the game-winner.
Darren Fish also scored twice for the Moose, who improved to 6-0-1 in conference play with the victory. Palmer’s Garrett Ropka scored his first career varsity goal in the win.
Ropka’s score came early in the first period, and Palmer used a pair of Fish goals and a Foster tally to take the 4-1 lead into the third period. Soldotna netted all three of its scores during a seven-minute span of the third period. Jace Urban scored an unassisted goal 33 seconds into the third period. Less than three minutes later, Cole Crandall cut Palmer’s lead to 4-3.
Foster pushed Palmer’s lead to 5-3 with 9:42 left. Less than two minutes later, Cameron Knowlton scored unassisted to bring Soldotna back within one.
Palmer outshot Soldotna 38-26 in the win. Half of Soldotna’s shots came in the third period. Cody Grogan finished with 22 saves for Palmer. Billy Yoder recorded 33 saves for the Stars.
Colony 4, Homer 1
Colony also won Friday night to stay tied with Palmer at the top of the NSC standings. The Knights used a 4-1 win over Homer at the Menard Arena to improve to 6-0-1 in conference play.
Foster Riekena enjoyed a three-point night for the Knights, collecting two goals and an assist. Zachary Monaco and Cy Eller also scored for the Knights. Monaco’s goal came with the Knights on the power play. Cooper McLaughlin led CHS with a pair of assists.
Tack Humbard has the lone goal for Homer.
Colony outshot Homer 38-20 in the win.
Colony’s Alex Gamez made 19 saves in the win.
Wasilla 12, Kenai 1
Wasilla also picked up a victory Friday night, routing Kenai 12-1 at the Brett Memorial Arena.
Russell Harren enjoyed a nine-point night for the Warriors, picking up four goals and five assists. Porter Schachle added seven points, with three goals and four assists. Olivia Matson added two goals for Wasilla. Cody Butcher, Garret Conroy, Christian Rivas and Dawson Monk also scored for the Warriors.
Jacob Kilfoyle recorded Kenai’s lone tally, a goal late in the first period.
Wasilla outshot Kenai 58-15. Ryan Williams made 46 saves for the Kards.
Palmer 5, Soldotna 4
Friday, MTA Events Center
First period — 1. Palmer- Ropka (Fish, Shults) 11;17; 2. Soldotna- Hensley (Brown) 8:14.
Second period — 3. Palmer- Fish (Shults, Foster) 12:09; 4. Palmer- Fish (Dojka) 4:55; 5. Palmer- Foster (Savel, Fish) 1:46.
Third period — 6. Soldotna- Urban (unassisted) 14:27; 7. Soldotna- Crandall (Brown) 11:48; 8. Palmer- Foster (Fish) 9:42; 9. Soldotna- Knowlton (unassisted) 7:35.
Shots on goal: Soldotna 8-5-13—26, Palmer 12-15-11—38; Saves: Soldotna- Yoder 11-12-10—33, Palmer- Grogan 7-5-10—22.
Colony 4, Homer 1
Friday, Menard Arena
First period — 1. Colony- Riekena (McLaughlin) 0:35.
Second period — 2. Colony- Monaco (Riekena) pp 8:20; 3. Homer- Humbard (unassisted) 2:48; 4. Colony- Eller (Thiele, Smith) 1:21; 5. Colony- Riekena (McLaughlin, Kirsch) 0:38.
Shots on goal: Homer 6-5-9—20, Colony 10-14-14—38; Saves: Homer- Swanson 9-11-14—34; Colony- Gamez 6-4-9—19.
Wasilla 12, Kenai 1
Friday, Brett Arena
First period — 1. Wasilla- Schachle (Stephens, Harren) pp 6:01; 2. Wasilla- Butcher (Harren, Conroy) pp 4:39; 3. Wasilla- Harren (Butcher) 2:26; 4. Kenai- Kilfoyle (unassisted) 0:19.
Second period — 5. Wasilla- O. Matson (Monk, Jones) 11:58; 6. Wasilla- Conroy (Tubbs, Schachle) 10:26; 7. Wasilla- O. Matson (Monk) 4:29; 8. Wasilla- Rivas (Schachle, Harren) 4:12; 9. Wasilla- Schachle (Harren) sh 0:01.
Third period — 10. Wasilla- Harren (Schachle, Rivas) 11:01; 11. Wasilla- Harren (Schachle) 8:19; 12. Wasilla- Monk (O. Matson, Moore) ea 5:42; 13. Wasilla- Schachle (Harren) 5:14.
Shots on goal: Kenai 4-9-2—15, Wasilla 13-23-22–58; Saves: Kenai- Williams 10-18-18—46, Wasilla- Carney 3-9-2—14.
