Goaltending, defense key to Colony's wins on road

PALMER — Three games. Three goalies Three shutouts.

Not a bad weekend for the Colony High netminders.

Joey Diltz made 15 saves Saturday afternoon to help Colony cap its three-day tour of the Kenai Peninsula with a 3-0 victory over the Soldotna Stars at the Soldotna Sports Complex. Alex Gamez and Cole Doss also recorded shutouts during the weekend to help the Knights score the sweep on the road trip and improve to 7-1-0 in North Star Conference play.

“I don’t know that ever on all the trips I’ve ever taken, especially down to the Peninsula, we’ve had three shutouts. Not only that, but three different goalies,” Colony head coach Jamie Smith said.

Gamez made 13 saves during a 5-0 win over Homer on Friday. Doss stopped all 13 shots he faced in Colony's 14-0 victory over Kenai Central Thursday night in Kenai.

“It’s key for us,” Smith said of the quality goaltending. “We anticipated at the beginning of the year that our goaltending corps would be the best in the state.”

There were some ups and downs early in the year.

“They were a little rattled at the beginning of the year. We lost three games in the last minute,” Smith said.

But the confidence gained by the weekend they just enjoyed could be huge for his goalies, Smith said.

“I feel like at the end of the day, we’re going to get the goaltending. We’re going to take care of business up front,” Smith said.

His goaltenders also have the experience, he said.

“All three are veterans. They’ve been around a long time,” Smith said.

The Colony defense also kept the pressure of its goaltenders throughout the weekend. Colony allowed a combined 41 shots in three games, and allowed only a single shot in a period twice during the weekend. Colony didn’t allow more than eight shots in any single period during the road trip.

“A lot of it is what’s going on in front as well,” Smith said. The defense was unbelievable this weekend.”

Smith said each goalie consistently had clear looks at the puck.

“They had open lanes to see the puck. I’m pretty confident, if those three guys see the puck, they’re going to stop it,” Smith said.

Additions to the back line have also been key. Earlier this season, Smith moved forward Zach Monaco to defense.

“It’s paid huge dividends for us,” Smith said.

The Knights also added junior Tyler Koeckritz to the varsity lineup. Koeckritz made his debut against Kenai and bagged an assist.

Colony scored all three of its goals Saturday in the third period. Foster Riekena gave his team its first lead early in the third period. Tae’jean Evans scored midway through the final period to push Colony’s advantage to a pair, and Jake Hessinger added a late empty-net goal.

Friday, Otto Thiele scored twice during the 5-0 win at Homer. Bradley Amato, Cooper Smith and Tristan Avoletta also scored.

Colony erupted for 14 goals during the win over the Kards Thursday. Thiele and Riekena each notched a hat trick. Thiele added a pair of assists for a five-point night. Smith bagged a team-high four assists. Avoletta and Dayne Cole finished with three assists each. Jake Kirsch scored twice, and Hessinger, Evans, Wyatt Vrana, Bryce Crosta and Monaco also scored goals.

Warriors bury opponents on road

The Wasilla Warriors used three lopsided victories over the weekend to remain undefeated, and stay at the top of the North Star Conference standings.

Wasilla, now 8-0 in North Star Conference play, capped its weekend with a 12-0 win over Homer Saturday afternoon in Homer. Alex Engan led the Warriors with a hat trick in the win. Porter Schachle, Garrett Conroy and Dylan Abbott added two goals each. Conroy also finished with four assists, and Abbott furnished a trio of helpers. Austin Stephens, Alex Clark and Lucas Gudz also scored against Homer.

It marked the second straight day that Wasilla scored a dozen. The Warriors also beat up Kenai 12-2 on Friday. Schachle finished with seven points, three goals and four assists, against the Kards. Clark led the team with four goals. Engan and Gudz scored two goals each. Conroy also scored. Stephens and Russell Harren each had four assists against the Kards.

Engan used three first-period goals to lead Wasilla to a 7-0 win over Soldotna on Thursday. Schachle finished with two goals and two assists. Harren and Conroy added goals.

Moose fall twice on road

Palmer capped a three-day road trip on the Peninsula with a wild 9-8 overtime loss to Kenai Central at the Kenai Multipurpose Facility Saturday afternoon.

Jakob O’Brien tallied the game-winner late in overtime to give the Kardinals the win. The Moose finished the road trip 1-2-0 with the loss.

Darien Wilson led the Moose with four goals in the loss. Wilson scored twice during Palmer’s three-goal first period, and helped the Moose rally with two more in the third. Jaron Ketterman added two goals and three assists. Gabe Welch also had three assists. Noah Keil and Luke Thysien added goals for the Moose.

Levi Mese scored four times for Kenai. O’Brien notched a hat trick with his game-winner.

Friday, Soldotna edged Palmer 2-0 at the Soldotna Sports Center. Palmer senior goalie Cody Grogan made 28 saves for the Moose, but Soldotna’s Galen Brantley II and Parker Lockwood were both able to strike for the Stars.

Soldotna goalie Billy Yoder notched the 18-save shutout.

Palmer enjoyed its lone win of the weekend Thursday, a 3-0 victory at Homer. Grogan earned the shutout with 30 saves. Noah Keil, Jaron Ketterman and Darien Wilson each scored for the Moose.

After the weekend, the Moose are now 3-4-1 in North Star Conference play.

Colony 3, Soldotna 0

Saturday, Soldotna

First period — no scoring.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — 1. Colony- Riekena (Avoletta, Vrana) 12:59; 2. Colony- Evans (Hessinger) 6:44; 3. Colony- Hessinger (Thiele) en 0:56.

Shots on goal: Colony 10-11-5—26, Soldotna 5-2-8—15; Saves: Colony- Diltz 5-2-8—15, Soldotna- Yoder 10-11-2—23.

Colony 5, Homer 0

Friday, Homer

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Colony- Thiele (Crosta) 9:15.

Third period — 2. Colony- Thiele (Ketchum) 14:00; 3. Colony- Amato (Riekena) 10:58; 4. Colony- Smith (Evans, Ketchum) 6:55; 5. Colony- Avoletta (Vrana) 5;55.

Shots on goal: Colony 5-8-7—20, Homer 1-6-6—13; Saves: Colony- Gamez 1-6-6—13, Homer- Warren 5-7-3—15.

Colony 14, Kenai 0

Thursday, Kenai

First period — 1. Colony- Thiele (Smith) 6:00; 2. Colony- Vrana (Avoletta) 4:25; 3. Colony- Riekena (Cole) 3:45.

Second period — 4. Colony- Theile (Riekena, Avoletta) pp 13:41; 5. Colony- Riekena (Thiele) pp 8:06; 6. Colony- Thiele (Crosta, Smith) pp 6:19; 7. Colony- Kirsch (Cole, Evans) 5:51; 8. Colony- Evans (Ewing, Cole) 4:40.

Third period — 9. Colony- Kirsch (Thiele) 12:02; 10. Colony- Monaco (unassisted) sh 10:08; 11. Colony- Crosta (Smith) 7:45; 12. Colony- Hessinger (Evans, Smith) 7;15; 13. Colony- Riekena (Avoletta) 6:05; 14. Colony- Fike (Kirsch) 0:28.

Shots on goal: Colony 14-19-14—47, Kenai 1-4-8—15; Saves: Colony- Doss 1-4-8—15, Kenai- Williams 11-14-8—33.

Wasilla 12, Homer 0

Saturday, Homer

First period — 1. Wasilla, Schachle (un.), 3:12; 2. Wasilla, Engan (Conroy), 9:35; 3. Wasilla, Stevens (Abbott, Conroy), 12:10. Penalties — Wasilla 1 for 2:00; Homer 1 for 2:00.

Second period — 4. Wasilla, Abbot (un.), 3:07; 5. Wasilla, Abbott (Conroy), 9:05; 6. Wasilla, Conroy (Engan), 12:04; 7. Wasilla, Schachle (un.), 14:50. Penalties — Wasilla 1 for 2:00; Homer 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 8. Wasilla, Conroy (un.), 4:02; 9. Wasilla, Clark (Harren, Schachle), 9:13; 10. Wasilla, Engan (Conroy, Abbott), 8:09; 11. Wasilla, Engan (Abbott), 12:58; 12. Wasilla, Gudz (Dollick), 14:16. Penalties — Wasilla 1 for 2:00; Homer 2 for 4:00.

Shots on goal — Wasilla 11-15-9—35; Homer 3-2-2—7.

Wasilla 12, Kenai 2

Friday, Kenai

First period — 1. Wasilla, Clark (Schachle, Harren), 3:14; 2. Wasilla, Schachle (Stephens, Bayliffe), 6:55; 3. Wasilla, Conroy (Massie), 8:11; 4. Kenai, Mese (un.), 10:40; 5. Wasilla, Clark (Schachle), 11:11. Penalties — Wasilla 2 for 7:00; Kenai 3 for 6:00.

Second period — 6. Wasilla, Clark (Stephens), 4:01; 7. Wasilla, Engan (Conroy), 4:23; 8. Wasilla, Gudz (Bayliffe), 4:43; 9. Wasilla, Schachle (Harren, Abbott), 5:27; 10. Wasilla, Schachle (un.), 8:06. Penalties — none

Third period — 11. Wasilla, Engan (Stephens), 1:24; 12. Wasilla, Clark (Harren, Schachle), 4:31; 13. Wasilla, Gudz (Schachle, Dollick), 8:47.; 14. Kenai, Mese (Harvey, Bryant), 8:57. Penalties — Wasilla 2 for 4:00.

Shots on goal — Wasilla 21-12-14—47; Kenai 5-4-9—18.

Goalies — Wasilla, Frazier (18 shots, 16 saves); Kenai, Williams (47 shots, 35 saves).

Wasilla 7, Soldotna 0

Thursday, Soldotna

First period — 1. Wasilla, Engan (Conroy, Stephens), 2:45; 2. Wasilla, Engan (Schachle, Clark), 13:32; 3. Wasilla, Engan (un.), 14:51. Penalties — Soldotna 2 for 4:00.

Second period — 4. Wasilla, Schachle (Harren), 3:17. Penalties — Wasilla 1 for 2:00; Soldotna 2 for 4:00.

Third period — 5. Wasilla, Stephens (Gudz, Dollick), 8:27; 6. Wasilla, Harren (Schachle, Clark), 11:45; 7. Wasilla, Conroy (Abbott), 13:04. Penalties — Wasilla 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goals — Wasilla 16-15-11—42; Soldotna 8-4-8—20.

Goalies — Wasilla, Campbell (20 shots, 20 saves); Soldotna, Yoder (42 shots, 35 saves).

Kenai 9, Palmer 8 OT

Saturday, Kenai

First period — 1. Palmer, Keil (Ketterman), 1:42; 2. Palmer, Wilson (Keil), 5:20; 3. Kenai, Mese (O'Brien), 8:45; 4. Palmer, Wilson (Welch), 9:58; 5. Kenai, Harvey (un.), 11:01; 6. Kenai, O'Brien (Mese, Beiser), 11:44; 7. Kenai, Mese (un.), 11:51.

Second period — 8. Kenai, Mese (Miller), 4:18; 9. Palmer, Theisen (un.), 6:23; 10. Palmer, Ketterman (un.), 11:25; 11. Kenai, O'Brien (Marston), 12:47; 12. Kenai, Mese (O'Brien) 14:37.

Third period — 13. Palmer, Wilson (Ketterman, Welch), 1:51; 14. Palmer, Wilson (Ketterman), 5:56; 15. Palmer, Ketterman (Rosenberg, Welch), 9:32; 16. Kenai, O'Brien (Hagel, Mese), 11:56.

Overtime — 17. Kenai, O'Brien (Hagel, Marston), 1:32. Penalties — Palmer 1 for 2:00.

Shots on goal — Palmer 12-11-10-0—33; Kenai 5-16-9-3—33.

Soldotna 2, Palmer 0

Friday, Soldotna

First period — 1. Soldotna, Brantley III (Hensley, B. Urban), 1:33.

Second period — none.

Third period — 3. Soldotna, Lockwood (un.), en, 14:45.

Shots on goal — Palmer 6-7-5—18; Soldotna 5-11-14—30.

Goalies — Palmer, Grogan (29 shots, 28 saves); Soldotna, Yoder (18 shots, 18 saves).

Palmer 3, Homer 0

Thursday, Homer

First period — none.

Second period — none.

Third period — 1. Palmer, Keil (Ketterman), 1:02; 2. Palmer, Ketterman (Wilson), 5:13; 3. Palmer, Wilson (un.), 5:31.

Shots on goal — Palmer 2-14-8—24; Homer 10-8-12—30.

Goalies — Palmer, Grogan (30 shots, 30 saves); Homer, Warren (24 shots, 21 saves).