Valley teams open prep hockey season with victories

After splitting games against a pair of Kenai-area opponents, the Palmer Moose capped the opening weekend of the prep hockey season with a win over a Valley rival.

Liam Hilscher scored a pair of goals to lead Palmer to a 5-1 win over Colony during the final day of the Peninsula Ice Challenge Saturday afternoon in Soldotna.

Bryce Horacek, Cooper Frank and Elijah Von Gunten also scored for Palmer. Kinan Greco led the Moose with a pair of assists. Mily Christman made 20 saves in the Palmer goal.

Austin Fangmann scored Colony’s lone goal.

Palmer finished 2-1-0 during the three-day event and Colony was 1-2-0.

Soldotna used four third-period goals on Friday to earn an 8-5 win over the Moose. Frank, Brandon Horacek, Elijah Von Gunten, Zander Anderson and Kaleb Von Gunten scored for Palmer. Greco had three assists.

Kenai skated to a 6-2 win over Colony on Friday. Jace Albers and Logan Lofland scored for Colony.

Thursday, Palmer beat Kenai Central 8-3 and Colony edged Soldotna 4-3.

Hilscher led the Moose with a hat trick during the win over the Kards. Elijah Von Gunten, Greco, Bryce Hornacek, Kaleb Von Gunten and Anderson also scored. Elijah Von Gunten also had three assists.

Christman made 12 saves.

Lofland scored twice to lead Colony to the win over Soldotna. Toryn Coffey and Albers also scored. Jaxon Allen had a pair of assists. Goalie Traeton Adams made 25 saves for the Knights.

Wasilla opened its season with a 2-1 road win over South Anchorage, behind a pair of power play goals. Karsen McGrew and Dylan Mead both scored. Warriors goalie Carson Branholm made 22 saves in the win.

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