Big third period lifts Knights

WASILLA -- Somewhere between the end of the second period and the beginning of the third period of Colony's contest with Skyview, the Knights decided that they did not want their season to be over.

The Knights erupted for four goals in the third period and knocked off the Skyview Panthers 5-3 in quarterfinal action of the Region III hockey tournament at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena Thursday.

The two squads entered the third period with a 1-1 tie after each team posted a score in the second period.

The Knights went on the power play 15 seconds into the third period when Skyview's Gabe Fellman was whistled with a tripping penalty. The Knights immediately capitalized as Ryan Paulinig sent a one-timer past Panther goalie Kyle Ray.

Pauling took to pass from Brad Pletz and fired the slapshot into the Panther net.

At the 13:59 mark, Skyview's Brandon Sachwitz was called for tripping and Colony again had the man-advantage.

And Colony capitalized once again.

Eighteen seconds into its second power play opportunity of the period, the Knights went up 3-1 on a Matt Luthi score.

"We were lax through the first two periods," Colony center Chris Crosta said. "We were taking things for granted. We had a good talk during the second intermission. After that we were ready to go."

According to Colony head coach Dale Mattson, the Knight coaching staff gave the Colony skaters a "stern talking to."

"It took a while for them to get going," Mattson said. "Guess they decided they did not want their season to end."

Even with a 3-1 lead, the Knights were not given the chance to relax. The Panthers clawed their way back into the contest.

Skyview scored a pair of goals and brought the game to a tie at the 6:34 mark.

The teams remained deadlocked until late in the contest. Colony was able to keep solid pressure on the Panther net and the work paid off as Crosta scored with just 1:40 left in regulation.

Costa Lambernakis added a massive slapshot from the blueline with 61 seconds to give the Knights a two-goal lead and help seal the victory.

Both teams struggled with keeping men out of the box. Colony was whistled 11 times, while Skyview was penalized 10 times.

"We struggled with penalties and couldn't get anything started," Mattson said. "The officiating was good, it went both ways."

"We were getting the stupid retaliation penalties," Crosta said. "They would elbow us and we would retaliate."

Random shots … Alan Markus stopped 20 Skyview shots on the night …. Markus was also one of seven Knights to take penalties in the game … Luthi was sent to the box three times … Skyview's Jeremy Mercier was forced to watch the game in the stands as he served a disqualification … The Knights are the third seed in the tournament and the defending Region III champs … Crosta led the Knights will a goal and two assists … Pauling had a goal and an assist.