PHS sophomore scores in national hockey tourney

A pair of Palmer High School skaters are helping the Alaska All-Stars U16 squad make some noise at the 2009 USA Hockey National Championships in Chesterfield, Mo.

On Saturday, PHS sophomore Jared Hanson scored the game-winner in the All-Stars’ 2-1 victory over the Colorado Thunderbirds in the tournament’s quarterfinals..

With the score locked at 1-1, Hanson smacked an even-strength tally into the net with 13:14 left in regulation. Hanson’s classmate at Palmer, Nick Reeves, also skated in the victory.

Later in the day, the All-Stars suffered an 8-3 loss to Compuware (Mich.) in the semifinals.

Earlier in the week, the All-Stars stunned Shattuck-St. Mary’s(Minn.), one of the top U16 programs in the nation, 4-1.

The Alaska squad also skated to a 3-1 win over Team Wisconsin.

The Mat-Su Eagles are competing in the 2009 USA Hockey U12 Tier II National Championships in Indian Trail, NC., this week.

The Eagles opened tourney play with a 6-0 loss to the East Coast (NC) Eagles. The San Jose (Calif.) Junior Sharks beat Mat-Su 10-1.

— Jeremiah Bartz