Chugiak defanseman Ben Morse battles with Service's Paul Herron for a loose puck Friday at the McDonald Center. The Cougars spoiled the Mustang's senior night, winning the game 3-2. Star Photo By DARRELL L. BREESE

It only took two minutes for the Service Cougars to spoil senior night for the Chugiak High School boys hockey team Friday at the McDonald Center, and secure a 3-2 victory.

The game started with the intensity of a playoff game, with good reason. The winner would be in position to claim the third seed for the Cook Inlet Conference tournament, which began Monday.

After a first period dominated by defensive play, the Cougars came out of the locker room with purpose, while the Mustangs appeared a little flat. Jeremy Smith and Cody Hansen scored goals for Service early in the period, to stun Chugiak.

"We lost our intensity," Chugiak coach Rod Wild said. "They took advantage and we were forced to scramble to catch up."

Junior Shane Topf gave the Mustangs a spark with 7 seconds left in the period, on a power play. Topf gathered the puck during a scramble in front of the Service net and lifted it over goaltender Cody Gongora, who laid sprawled flat on the ice.

Trailing 2-1 after the second, Wild attempted to rally his team for a third period comeback, but the Mustangs couldn't match the Cougars' intensity.

"They out-hit and out-hustled us," Wild said of the action early in the third period. "You're not going to win too many games when you're out-hit."

Service took advantage of the heightened intensity, scoring a third goal off the stick of Aaron McInnis.

The goal sapped some of the intensity from the Cougars who were whistled for five penalties in the remainder of the period, giving Chugiak multiple power-play opportunities, including a 5-on-3 advantage.

"We did everything we could to let them off the hook," Service coach Brush Christiansen said after the game. "We were lucky to come away with the win. Chugiak had some really good looks at goal."

Ben Morse made the Cougars pay for the penalties with 48 seconds left after taking a pass from Noah Vanlandingham and bouncing it off the back of Gongora's leg from the right side of the net.

Trailing 3-2, Wild called his team to the bench for a timeout, hoping to draw up a play that would result in a tying goal.

After winning the ensuing face-off, Wild called goalie Seth Kollman to the bench for an extra attacker, but the Service defense managed to keep the Mustangs from setting up a sustained attack.

The game marked the final home appearance for seniors Kollman, Isaac Jordt, Mike Kelley and Rusty Teller.

Chugiak finished the regular season with a 6-7-1 conference record, 11-9-2 overall. The loss made Chugiak the No. 6 seed for the conference tournament and set up a rematch of last year's first-round playoff game against East.

"The season is now all about winning one game at a time now," Wild said looking ahead to the East game. "If we don't win, the season is over. If we win, we get an invitation to the state tournament."

Reach the reporter at darrell.breese.@alaskastar.com.

Service 3, Chugiak 2

Service 0 2 1 - 3

Chugiak 0 1 1 - 2

First Period - None. Penalties - None.

Second Period - 1, Service, Smith (Sture) 4:11; 2, Service, Hansen (Cronin) 5:51; 3, Chugiak, Topf 14:53. Penalties - Service 2 for 4. Chugiak 2 for 4.

Third Period - 4, Service, McInnis 4:55; 5, Chugiak, Morse (Vanlandingham) 14:12. Penalties - Service 4 for 16. Chugiak 0 for 0.

Goalies - Service, Gongora (2-6-7-15). Chugiak, Kollman (14-8-6-28).

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, February 4, 2010.