Dogs edge Moose

PALMER — As Palmer skated off the ice Thursday night, the Moose new very well the last 45 minutes worth of hockey could have certainly produced a different result.

“We didn’t convert,” Palmer head coach Brad Hanson said after his team’s 3-1 nonconference loss to Lathrop at the Palmer Ice Arena.

And thankfully for Lathrop, the Malemutes did.

Alec Hajdukovich scored twice and Doug Poe added another goal to lead Lathrop to its 12th win in 13 games.

Hajdukovich and Poe both stuck in a pivotal second period in which the Fairbanks team scored twice within a two-minute span to break the 1-1 tie.

It was a period in which Palmer had three power-play chances, scored its lone goal of the game and escaped a potentially disastrous Lathrop 5-on-3.

“We had a lot of scoring opportunities in the second period,” Hanson said. “But we didn’t score and we gave up a couple of goals I think we probably shouldn’t have, and it ends up 3-1.”

Sophomore Jared Hanson put Palmer on the scoreboard and tied the game for the Moose, 3:57 into the second. Parked in front of the net, Hanson redirected a shot put on net by senior Michael Hanson.

Sophomore Nick Reeves, who pushed the puck to Michael Hanson to start the play, also assisted on the goal.

Hajdukovich scored the eventual game-winner at the 7:20 mark of the second. Hajdukovich’s linemate, Taylor Mumford, intercepted the puck near the blueline and sent a quick pass to Hajdukovich, who at the top of the left circle, immediately flipped a quick wrist shot into the upper right side of the Moose net.

Less than two minutes later, Poe — aided by a Lathrop 2-1 — slipped a puck into the Palmer goal.

Palmer junior goaltender Jonas Naegele stopped 22 of Lathrop’s 25 shots in the loss.

Lathrop improved to 12-1-0 with the win. The Malemutes, who currently sit on top of the Mid-Alaska Conference, have not dropped a game since suffering a 6-3 loss to three-time defending 4A state champion South Anchorage in mid-November.

Palmer dropped to 6-5-0 overall with the loss, but remain as the top team in the North Star Conference. The Moose will continue hosting nonconference action against Interior opponents throughout the weekend. Tonight North Pole makes the trip to the Palmer to face the Moose at 6:30 p.m. Palmer hosts West Valley at noon on Saturday.

Lathrop stays in the Valley and will face Houston at the Menard Memorial Ice Arena.

Lathrop 3, Palmer 1

Thursday, Palmer Ice Arena

First period — 1. Lathrop- Hajdukovich (Mumford) sh 13:01.

Second period — 2. Palmer- J. Hanson (M. Hanson, Reeves) pp 12:08, 3. Lathrop- Hajdukovich (Mumford) 7:20, 4. Lathrop- Poe (No. 4) 5:38.

Third period — no scoring.

Shots: Lathrop 25, Palmer 22; Saves: Lathrop- No. 30- 21, Palmer- Naegele 22; Power plays: Lathrop 0-for-7, Palmer 1-for-5; Penalties: Lathrop 8-for-24, Palmer 10-for-28.