Service pulls away from Moose in quarterfinals

WASILLA — The Palmer Moose cut the Service lead in half twice. Palmer put shots on goal and the Moose put themselves in position to score. But all the while, Service took advantage of every bounce, every chance, every opportunity and skated to a 9-2 win over the Moose during the first round of the 2011 First National Cup 4A state hockey championships at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

Service scored five unanswered goals in the third period to score the win over Palmer and move into a championship semifinal with rival Dimond. Freshman Jack Reeves cut Service’s deficit to 4-2 early in the first when he poked a puck into the Service net. But just at two minutes later, Henry Yawit was left all alone in front of the Palmer goal and scored to send the momentum back to Service.

Yawit scored twice in the win and Andrew Cummings added a pair of goals.

Senior Nick Reeves also scored for the Moose, who will face West Valley today at 8 a.m. in the consolation semifinals.

Service capitalized on transition goals and the odd-man rush throughout.

“We got beat in transition,” Palmer head coach Brad Hanson said. “We didn’t do a very good job of having a guy in position on the backcheck. They’re a fast team. You have to play smarter than we did.”

Service barely outshot Palmer in the win, leading 21-20 in that category. Hanson said he felt the Moose did have chances.

“There were opportunities for us to be in that game,” Hanson. “Second period early, we had opportunities to tie it up and take the lead.”

Nick Reeves used a blast to cut Service’s lead to 2-1 late in the first. Junior Miles George sent a pass between the circles and Reeves stepped up from his spot on the blueline to get the slapshot goal.

Reeves’ younger brother Jack made it a 4-2 game when he poked a puck into the net after senior Piers LaFrance wheeled the puck around the back of the Service goal.

Service 9, Palmer 2

Thursday, Menard Arena

First period – 1. Service- J. Smith (McInnis, Deal) 9:01; 2. Service- McInnis (Deal, Johnstone) 5:37; 3. Palmer- N. Reeves (George, Good) pp 2:32.

Second period – 4. Service- Cummings (Brown, Cutshall) 9:40; 5. Service- Yawit (Prestegard) 3:28.

Third period – 6. Palmer- J. Reeves (LaFrance, Harrison) 12:59; 7. Service- Yawit (Crabb) 10:38; 8. Service- Solaka (Yawit, Triplett) 10:09; 9. Service- McInnis (Smith) 9:34; 10. Service- Prestegard (Crabb) 6:47; 11. Service- Cummings (Cutshall, Brown).

Shots: Service 22, Palmer 21.