Warriors light scoreboard in second

Wasilla skated against Palmer Wednesday at Brett Memorial Ice Arena in a game of scrappy play and hustle by both teams.

After a close first period in which Wasilla led 2-1, the Warriors broke the game open with five goals in the second period to take a 7-2 victory.

"We played well tonight, but could have played better," said Wasilla coach Wade Schachle. "We worked on spreading out and moving the puck around."

Wasilla forward Robby Velock scored a natural hat trick in the game with three successive goals in the second period.

The Moose came into the game short on skaters as five players served game suspensions for fighting in last week's game against Houston. Palmer needed everyone to match up against Wasilla.

Palmer fought hard for both of its goals but let Wasilla get too many open shots on goaltender Morgan Jett.

Wasilla scored first just 1:02 into the game when forward John Schmelz sent a wrist shot into the net from 25 feet out.

The Warriors added a shorthanded goal at 4:16 on a pass by Ryan Syvertson from behind the Palmer goal to Joe Hess streaking open down the middle.

Hess knocked the pass in to give Wasilla the 2-0 lead.

Palmer cut the lead to 2-1 with a goal by Jonah Stewart with four seconds remaining in the first period.

Amidst a scramble for the puck in front of the Wasilla net, Stewart won the battle and chipped the puck in for the goal.

Sam Roy picked up an assist on the goal.

Palmer's good play to keep the game close quickly unraveled after the second period began when Velock took a pass from Schmelz in the neutral zone, pushed the puck across the blue line and unleashed a hard wrist shot that hit high in the back of the Palmer net.

The goal came just 1:03 into the second period to push Wasilla up, 3-1.

Velock struck again 17 seconds later, taking a pass from Jordan Divis and penetrating down the right side to send another wrist shot past Jett to give Wasilla the 4-1 lead.

Palmer scored on a goal by Roy in front of the Wasilla net to close the gap to 4-2 with 5:53 remaining.

Stewart was credited with an assist on the goal.

With a player in the penalty box and Wasilla penalty killers on the ice, Velock intercepted a Palmer pass in the neutral zone and sped down the center of the ice to score on a breakaway to give Wasilla a shorthanded goal with 4:14 remaining in the second period.

"I saw the pass, took it and tipped it off the boards to get around them," said Velock. "Coming in I saw the five-hole wide open, so I took it."

The Warriors put the game away late in the second period, scoring two goals in the final 20 seconds to take a commanding 7-2 lead.

Schmelz scored from the weak side just outside the crease after receiving a nice pass from deep in the left corner. Divis and Thomas Lynch earned assists on the goal.

Andrew Tumbleson took the next faceoff and immediately drove to the goal, lifting a wrist shot that gave Wasilla a 7-2 lead.

With the game well in hand, Wasilla killed time in the third period and neither team scored. Wasilla took the victory 7-2.

Wasilla goaltender Nathan Banbury turned away 33 attempts on goal while Jett saved 39.

"Coming into the game missing some of our players was difficult, but the guys stepped up and worked hard," said Palmer coach Brian Fish. "We're starting to come together as a team."

Palmer's next game is against West High School at Ben Boeke Ice Arena tonight at 6:30.

Wasilla plays at Skyview Nov. 30 at 8 p.m.