Palmer stays atop league with OT win

PALMER — It took all three periods and nearly five minutes of overtime play to declare the Palmer Moose victorious over the Kenai Kardinals in North Star Conference action at the Palmer Ice Arena on Thursday.

Palmer junior Piers LaFrance scored on the power play with 4:17 left in overtime to give the Moose the win over the Kards.

“I am just glad to get in there and get the win for our team. It was a tough game and I am just happy we won. I was just hoping to get the puck on the net and get some opportunities for the goal,” said LaFrance after the game.

The game started evenly as Palmer scored in the first period off an Ivan Good goal, assisted by Zane Jerman.

The second period was a stalemate as neither team scored.

Palmer head coach Brad Hanson said he was pleased with his team’s effort through the first two periods, but that Kenai came out with more energy in the third.

“Kenai is a good team and they played hard,” Hanson said. “They came out in the third and really took it to us. We had good pressure in the first two periods, but Kenai had it in the third.”

Kenai opened the third in quick fashion with Zack Zulkanycz beating Palmer goalie Jonas Naegele at the 13:59 mark of the third period, the first of his two goals.

Six minutes later, Zulkanycz scored again, this time off of Morgan Cunningham’s pass.

Neither team was able to finish the game with a regulation score. Zulkanycz nearly had a hat trick, but was held short after a quick save by Naegele on a breakaway attempt.

Each team took penalties during overtime, but Palmer was able to take advantage of its second power-play attempt of the extra period.

Contact Lanier Hutcheson at lanier.hutcheson@frontiersman.com or 352-2265.

Palmer 3, Kenai 2 OT

Thursday, Palmer Ice Arena

First period — 1. Palmer- Good (Jerman) 4:06.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — 2. Kenai- Zulkanycz (G. Iverson) 13:59, 3. Palmer- Acher ( Good) 10:01; 4. Kenai- Zulkanycz (Mese, Cunningham) 7:43.

Overime — 5. Palmer- LaFrance (unassisted) 4:17.

Shots on goal: Kenai 5-8-14-2—29, Palmer 12-10-10-3—35; Saves; Kenai- Remsen 11-10-9-2—32, Palmer- Naegele 5-8-12-2—27; Penalties: Kenai 6-for-12, Palmer 6-for-12.