Highlights lead Hawks

WASILLA -- Houston found about a half-dozen ways to make the highlight reel Friday in the Hawks' 6-2 victory over Palmer at the Brett Ice Arena.

Houston used precise passing and a whole-lotta odd-man rushes in the victory.

The Hawks scored four breakaway goals in the contest as the Houston centers and defensemen consistently fed the Hawk wingers with long and accurate passes.

Sophomore forward Larry Kincaid continued to tear into the new season scoring two goals and an assist. Kincaid now has a team-high eight points in two games.

Rick Morlock also collected a pair of goals and a helper.

Morlock started the scoring for Houston as he retrieved a puck at the blueline, skated past the Palmer defense and put the puck upper shelf on the breakaway with just more than 10 minutes remaining in the first period.

Morlock scored again three minutes later, as he took a pass from Kincaid, deeked a Palmer defenseman and slipped the puck past Palmer goaltender Kyle Berti.

Spencer Galvin put the Moose on the board late in the first period to cut the score to 2-1. Galvin, a freshman in his first game with the Moose, gave the puck a double-tap and fired it into the Hawk net from the middle of the zone.

Kincaid and Devin Styers scored early in the second period to give Houston a 4-1 lead. Styers picked up a rebound off a Kincaid shot to register a goal and the forechecking of Kincaid and Morlock led to Kincaid's second goal of the game.

Morlock and Kincaid flattened a pair of Moose in the Palmer zone, Morlock poked the puck away from Palmer's Cody Gabel, and Kincaid drove the puck to the Palmer net scoring five-hole.

Houston continued its skills clinic late in the second period as defensemen Roy Stull sent a precise pass up the ice to a streaking Chad McClurg who put the puck in the net, upper shelf, just below the crossbar.

Berti did give six goals in the contest, but none came easy. Houston peppered the Palmer sophomore with 35 shots in the game.

"A lot of puck movement makes it tough," Houston head coach Jamie Smith said. "Leaves him sitting out on an island."

Palmer head coach Brian Fish said that his goaltender played well, it was struggles by the Moose defense that led to the abundance of Hawk shots.

"Berti came up with some big saves," Fish said. "We gave up too many opportunities. We gave up more chances than I'd like to. Do that and a team like Houston will take advantage."

Offensively the Moose were also able to get shots on goal. Though Palmer was only able to light the lamp twice, Palmer registered 32 shots in the contest.

In addition to Galvin, Palmer senior Kent Blaylock also scored in the contest.

"Overall the effort was good, we could have played with a little more heart," Fish said.

Random shots … Houston improved to 2-0 over its Valley foes, and the squad is not yet at full strength. Four of Houston's seven forwards are currently out. Jimmy Estes, Matt Bertling and Jeremy Morlock have yet to play this season and Wade Williams missed the Palmer contest. Bertling broke his collarbone during football season and Morlock broke his leg prior to the season. Estes is expected to return first, possibly for Houston's contest with Wasilla on Nov. 26. In the meantime, Smith has moved a pair of freshman defensemen, Chad Lipse and Kaleb Westfall, to forward … The teams combined for 19 penalties in the contest … Palmer was 1-for-7 on the power play and Houston was 2-for-6 with the man advantage … Houston has not been defeated by another Valley school since the 2001-02 season.