Blueliners lead Moose past Knights

WASILLA — The Palmer Moose have a couple of defensemen who are not afraid to step into the offensive side.

It’s a luxury for some teams, but for the Moose blueliners, their luxury comes from knowing there’s a standout goalie, sophomore Ashton Good, who’s always anchored behind them.

Moose blueliners Trey Garrod and Brennan Harrison combined for two goals and three assists to help Palmer grab a 5-1 win over rival Colony at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Tuesday.

“That is really important,” Palmer head coach Brad Hanson said of the defensemen’s impact on offense. “Not only that, but you’ve got a goalie that is going to make big saves. You can count on those guys to put more pressure (on the other team), knowing if you give up a 2-on-1, you have a good chance of being successful.”

Garrod scored twice and Harrison helped set up a pair of goals to help Palmer improve to 7-3-0 and win for the fourth time in as many games.

Garrod used a wrister and a massive slap shot to find the back of the net twice. Late in the second, Garrod skated up to the right wing circle and snapped a shot into the high corner of the net.

In the third, with the Moose on the power play, Garrod blasted a shot from the point right into the body of Colony senior goalie Forrest Savel. The Knights netminder appeared to make the save, but the puck popped up into the air above his head, bounced off the blue of the crease and just over the red line.

“I thought he shot the puck well,” Hanson said of Garrod.

Harrison used a shot from the point late in the first to set up Palmer’s first goal. Savel made the save on the Harrison shot, but left the rebound in front. Garrod, parked in front of the net, kept the play alive, and Blake Brazil was able to tap the puck in from the right side of the net.

Harrison also shifted the puck across the zone to set up Garrod’s power play goal.

“Harrison, he’s a converted forward. He’s got pretty good puck skills,” Hanson said. “I think that really helps his ability at the point to move the puck. He can create from the point.”

Dalton Buness and Miles George also scored for the Moose. Buness picked up a turnover between the circles and spun around to take a quick shot and score. George took the puck at the left wing circle early in the second period and flipped it into the upper shelf.

Palmer outshot Colony 54-15 in the win.

Morgan McJimsey gave the Knights their lone score, using a quick move near the crease to score.

Palmer 5, Colony 1

Tuesday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Palmer- Brazil (Garrod, Harrison) pp 4:46; 2. Palmer- Buness (unassisted) 0:45.6.

Second period — 3. Palmer- George (Buness, Morino) 12:17; 4. Palmer- Garrod (I. Good) 1:03.

Third period — 5. Palmer- Garrod (Harrison) pp 9:19; 6. Colony- McJimsey (unassisted) 6:19.

Shots on goal: Palmer 54, Colony 15; Saves: Palmer- A. Good 14, Colony- Savel 49.

Colony 4, Mariners 1

HOMER — The visiting Knights picked up a North Star Conference victory on Thursday.

Stephen Kempinski got the scoring started for the Knights with an unassisted goal with 5 minutes, 32 seconds left in the first period. Clem Tillion tied the game for Homer less than a minute later.

Colony took the lead for good with 2:01 left in the first. Gabriel Gamez scored on an assist from Trevor Naylor.

The Knights scored one goal in the second and third periods. Jonathon Boyer scored in the second unassisted. Curtis Foster scored in the third on an assist from Naylor.

Forest Savel had 27 saves for the Knights, while Alex Sanarov saved 25 pucks for Homer.

Colony 4, Homer 1

Colony 2 1 1—4

Kenai 1 0 0—1

First period — 1. Colony, Kempinski (un.), 9:28; 2. Homer, Tillion (un.),

10:24; 3. Colony, Gamez (Naylor), 12:59. Penalties — Colony 1 for 2:00;

Homer 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 4. Colony, Boyer (un.), 11:54. Penalties — Colony 1 for

2:00; Homer 3 for 6:00.

Third period — 5. Colony, Foster (Naylor), 10:23. Penalties — Homer 2 for

4:00.

Shots on goal — Colony 12-12-5—29; Homer 11-10-7—28.

Goalies — Colony, Savel (28 shots, 27 saves); Homer, A. Sanarov (29 shots,

25 saves).

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.