Goalie leads Moose to hockey win over Wasilla

WASILLA — It may have been a sluggish start for Palmer, but thanks in part to stellar goaltending and the play of the top line, the Moose found a way to notch the big finish.

Palmer goalie Cody Grogan made 24 saves and Taylor Foster bagged a pair of goals to lead the Moose to a 3-0 win over the Wasilla Warriors Saturday evening at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

“I thought we came out a little bit slow. We’ve started slow (in games) this season,” Palmer head coach Jeff Varvil said. “(Cody) was able to come up with a couple of big saves, which changed momentum.”

Varvil said the play of Grogan and the presence of Palmer’s top line of forwards were key to the Moose victory. Wasilla outshot Palmer in the first period, but Grogan made 13 of his 24 saves in the first. Varvil praised the work of his top line of forwards — Foster, Darren Fish and RJ Avezak. Varvil said the addition of Avezak, who played in his first game after returning from an injury, was particularly key. By placing Avezak on that line, Varvil said, it added size and physicality.

“They were really dominant throughout the whole game,” Varvil said.

Foster scored a pair of second-period goals and helped create Palmer’s first goal, Fish recorded an assist on all three Palmer goals, and Avezak also had a pair of assists.

Early in the first period, with the Moose skating on the power play, Foster drove through the right wing circle and snapped a shot on net. A loose rebound came of the stick of Fish, before Meyers was able to knock the puck into the back of the net for the first score of the game.

Fish also assisted on both Foster goals.

With about eight minutes left in the second period, Foster, anchored between the circles, took a pass from the left wing, and rang a shot off the crossbar. The puck bounced into the net for Palmer’s second score of the game.

Less than three minutes later, a rebound off a shot from the point bounced to the left side of the offensive zone. Foster was there alone to hammer the puck home for the score.

“He’s been huge. He comes up big for us all the time,” Varvil said of Foster.

Wasilla goalie Zach Curry finished with 25 saves for the Warriors.

Palmer improved to 3-2-1 with its victory, and recorded its second straight shutout. Grogan stopped 28 shots during a 2-0 win over East Anchorage Nov. 17.

Service 3, Wasilla 1

WASILLA — Service skated to a 3-1 win over Wasilla Friday at the Brett Arena.

Garrett Conroy scored the lone goal for Wasilla. Braden Brunnhoelzl and Porter Schachle recorded assists on the play.

Goalie Zach Curry finished with 22 saves for the Warriors.

Wasilla returns to the ice to host rival Colony Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Brett.

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