Palmer prevails: Moose use second straight OT win to earn first state hockey title in 30 years

WASILLA — In 1989, Palmer High senior Chris Carney skated across the blue line and fired the shot that would give the Moose a 4-3 overtime win in the state championship game over rival Wasilla and Palmer’s first state hockey title.

Thirty years later, the Moose, in just their second state hockey title game in school history, were once again in overtime, and Owen Hayes took a page from the Carney playbook.

The sophomore forward broke across the blue line, beat a pair of defenders, and snapped a shot in the back of the net with 4:44 left in the extra period to give the Moose a 6-5 overtime win over Homer in the 2019 ASAA First National Cup Division II state championship game Saturday evening at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

“I was just trying to get the shot on net,” Hayes said. “I’m super excited. I have no words.”

The Hayes game-winner capped a roller coaster of a contest that included four goals in the final 3:06 of regulation. It also continued a wild run for the Moose, the fourth seed in the tourney, who needed an at-large bid to even be a part of the bracket. It was also the second overtime win in as many nights. Friday, Palmer used four unanswered goals, including a Zach Nelius game-winner in OT, to stun top-seeded Soldotna, 4-3.

“I honestly thought we had this in us,” senior Pierce Brooks, a four-year member of the Moose, said as he celebrated with teammates after the win.

Hayes missed the first two rounds of the tournament, but came through for his team in the end.

“We love that kid. He’s just another special part of this team,” Palmer alternate captain Luke Theisen said. “He really grew today.”

Theisen said he didn’t realize the Hayes shot hit the back of the net until the Menard crowd erupted.

“I just heard people yelling. I jumped on the ice, threw off my stuff and went to celebrate with the boys,” Theisen said.

After missing the first two games of the tourney, Hayes didn’t see as much ice time early in the game, but Palmer head coach Dean Wilson said it paid off for Palmer.

“We kind of eased him into it. He had fresh legs at the end of the game,” Wilson said.

Hayes had the game-winner, but the Moose needed a goal late in regulation and had to survive Homer’s third-period surge to force overtime. Palmer led 4-1 after the first two periods. But Homer scored four times in the third, twice on the power play.

“It’s not how you want to win a game, being up 4-1, at one point. But you’ve got to be careful with Homer. They’re going to dance right around your guys if you’re going to stand there looking at the puck,” Wilson said.

Railbelt Conference Player of the Year Ethan Pitzman scored for the Mariners at the 12-minute mark of third to cut Palmer’s lead in half. With 3:06 left, Pitzman scored again, this time on the power play, to pull the Mariners within a goal. With 90 seconds left, Isiah Nevak used an unassisted goal to tie the score at 4.

Less than 30 seconds later, Homer’s Tyler Gilliland knocked in a rebound to give Homer the 5-4 advantage, it’s first lead of the game.

But the game was far from over.

With 34 seconds left in regulation, Theisen scored to knot the game at 5.

“We had every attacker out there,” Wilson said.

Wilson praised his players for their ability to overcome Homer’s big third period.

“They’re a gritty group,” Wilson said.

Wilson also had high praise for his goaltender, TJ O’Rourke, who finished with 41 saves in the victory.

“We got every period out of him today,” Wilson said.

Brooks gave Palmer the early lead, scoring with 6:42 left in the first period. Nelius scored the first of his two goals seconds after the opening face off of the second period. About 30 seconds later, Darian Wilson pulled a puck of the back boards to Nathan Hooks, who hammered a shot home to give Palmer the 3-1 lead. With less than two minutes to go in the second and the Moose on the power play, Nelius deflected a shot over the shoulder of Homer goalie Hunter Warren to push Palmer’s lead to 4-1.

Palmer is the first state champion in ASAA’s new format for hockey. During the offseason, the sport was reclassified, ditching the 4A and Greatland in favor of Division I and Division II. Palmer was one of a half-dozen programs moved from 4A to the DII level.

Palmer’s season is also not over. The ASAA First National Bank Division I state tournament, which starts Thursday, at the Menard includes a spot for the Division II state champion in the eight-team bracket. That means three Valley teams will now be part of the field. Mid-Alaska Conference regular season champion Wasilla and runner-up Colony have also qualified.

“This feels fantastic,” Brooks said. “Now we’re moving on to next week.”

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Palmer 6, Homer 5 OT

Division II state championship game

Saturday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Palmer- Brooks (Biddle) 6:42; 2. Homer- Gilliland (Pitzman) 0:18.

Second period — 3. Palmer- Z. Nelius (Armstrong) 14:48; 4. Palmer- Hooks (Wilson) 14:17; 5. Palmer- Z. Nelius (Hayes, Wilson) pp 1:51.

Third period — 6. Homer- Pitzman (unassisted) 12:00; 7. Homer- Pitzman (Nevak) pp 3:06; 8. Homer- Nevak (unassisted) pp 1:30; 9. Homer- Gilliland (Pitzman, Shattoro) pp 1:30; 10. Palmer- Theisen (Wilson) 0:34.

Overtime — 11. Palmer- Hayes (Wilson, O’Rourke) 4:44.

Shots on goal: Homer 46, Palmer 27; Saves: Homer- Warren 22, Palmer- O’Rourke 41.