Colony hockey: New coach excited about young team’s positive attitude

PALMER — The Colony Knights have battled through their share of adversity in the last few years.

Two seasons ago the Knights were winless, finishing the 2006-07 campaign with an 0-21 mark. But last year, the Knights were a win away from the state tournament.

So as the Knights once again find themselves battling through adverse conditions, first-year head coach Dan Belanger is confident that his players will continue to battle.

Belanger is taking over a team that lost not only its former head coach — Dale Mattson — but also several of the top players from the 2007-08 season.

Belanger inherits a squad that’s young — there’s only one senior on the roster —but the first-year coach is confident in his team’s ability to work and learn.

“There’s still a learning curve, but the attitude is real good,” Belanger said. “We have a young team that’s willing to learn.”

The Knights, who played West Anchorage in the third-place game of the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Hockey Tournament on Saturday, do feature 11 juniors. That’s the group he’s looking to fill the void left by departed talented such as graduated seniors Blake Huppert and Risto Patsaama.

“We’ve got some guys who have to step up and fill some shoes,” Belanger said.

Among the forwards Belanger will look to lead the Knights on the offensive end of the ice are juniors Lance Nezaticky, Chris Sawyer, Trever Nickerson, Kevin Boyer and Blake Wangberg.

“I’m confident by the end of the year when we really need them to step up, we’ll have to solid lines,” Belanger said.

On defense juniors Braden Carter and Jesse Krey saw significant ice time last season. Belanger said he also has a group of sophomores he is working into the rotation.

Colony has a few choices in goal. Juniors Charlie Holman and Jason Murak both return. The Knights also have freshman Forest Savel, who earned the shutout against Delta on Thursday and was named the player of the game after a 23-save performance in a loss to West Valley on Friday.

“He’s doing really good,” Belanger said of Savel. “He’s really going to be someone to watch.”

Colony started the season with a 5-4 loss to Houston and split a nonconfernece series with Juneau-Douglas last week.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.