The Palmer hockey team used a big third period to pick up a 7-3 Railbelt Conference victory over Soldotna on Thursday at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex.

The Moose move to 6-5-1 overall and 3-0 in the Railbelt, while the Stars fall to 5-5-1 and 2-1.

The game was tied at 3 headed to the third period, but the Stars ran into penalty trouble. Soldotna was whistled for seven penalties for 17 minutes in the period, then was given two more penalties for four minutes at the end of regulation.

The Moose, who had four penalties for eight minutes in the third, took advantage by scoring three power-play goals in the third period and another goal in four-on-four play.

Ryan Martin got the game-winner, with help from Bradford Heard and Mason O’Rourke, on a power-play goal with 11:46 left in the third.

With 6:51 left in the third, Xander Logan made it 5-3 when Elijah Von Gunten helped him scored a power-play goal. Just 40 seconds later, Von Gunter scored on the power play, with Logan returning the favor on an assist.

With 2:06 to play, Von Gunten finished off a hat trick with a four-on-four goal assisted by Matias Broughton.

In the first period, the Moose had jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Stuart McQuillin scored on assists from Broughton and Zander Anderson.

The Stars answered with 7:15 left in the first on a goal by Jace Applehans, assisted by Boone Theiler and Silas Larsen.

The Moose then went up 3-1 when O’Rourke scored on a Kinan Greco assist, and Von Gunten scored on the power play with help from McGuillin and Nate Wright.

With 1:18 left in the first, Aiden Burcham had an unassisted, short-handed goal for the Stars.

Then, Dawson Lockwood, assisted by Mykah Booth and Silas Larsen, scored the lone goal of the second period on a power-play strike.

Keagon O’Bryan had 17 saves for the Moose, while Jackson Purcell stopped 17 for the Stars.

Palmer stays on the peninsula for a pair of games against Kenai Central. The Kards host the Moose at the Kenai Multi-Purpose Facility today at 7 p.m. and Saturday at noon.

Thursday

Moose 7, Stars 3

Palmer 3 0 4 —7

Soldotna 2 1 0 —3

First period — 1. Palmer, S. McQuillin (Broughton, Anderson), 3:15; 2. Soldotna, Applehans (Theiler, Larsen), 7:45; 3. Palmer, O’Rourke (Greco), 10:08; 4. Palmer, Von Gunten (S. McQuillin, Wright), pp, 11:47; 5. Soldotna, Burcham (un.), sh, 13:42. Penalties — Soldotna 3 for 6:00.

Second period — 6. Soldotna, Lockwood (Booth, Larsen), pp, 3:11. Penalties — Palmer 2 for 4:00; Soldotna 1 for 2:00.

Third period — 7. Palmer, Martin (Heard, O’Rourke), pp, 3:14; 8. Palmer, Logan (Von Gunten), pp, 8:09; 9. Palmer, Von Gunten (Logan), pp, 8:49; 10. Palmer, Von Gunten (Broughton), 12:54. Penalties — Palmer 4 for 8:00; Soldotna 9 for 21:00.

Shots on goal — Palmer 7-9-8—24; Soldotna 7-7-6—20.

Goalies — Palmer, O’Bryan (20 shots, 17 saves); Soldotna, Purcell (24 shots, 17 saves).

Palmer’s Elijah Von Gunten attacks the Soldotna net in front of defensemen Aiden Stinnett and Aiden Burcham and goalie Jackson Purcell on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)