Grinding it out

WASILLA — During the 2007-08 season, the Wasilla Warriors were a team loaded with playmakers and a squad that never seemed to have an issue with putting the puck in the back of the net.

But unlike the high octane club that skated its way to a North Star Conference title, the 2008-09 edition of the tribe relies on a different type of hockey.

And that’s what makes victories like Wasilla’s 3-1 over Colony on Friday so satisfying for Wasilla head coach Bill Sturdevant.

“We’re not a team that’s going to score a ton of goals,” Sturdevant said. “For us a 3-1 win is a good game.”

Even though the Warriors tallied their three goals during the first two periods, Wasilla outshot Colony 15-3 during the third frame, remained in control of the game and kept the Knights off the scoreboard.

“I thought the third (period) went a lot better,” Wasilla captain Dylan Troisi said. “Toward the end of the game, I thought we played pretty good. We pulled it together.”

After Colony tied the score with a Kyle Miller goal early in the second period, juniors Jeremiah Walker and Jade Johnston each reached the back of the Knights’ net during the second frame to give the Warriors the advantage.

“I’m happy to see we responded after getting scored on,” Sturdevant said. “I was happy to see we kept battling, getting the goals. Early in the season, I think we may have gone backward.”

With about six minutes left in the second, Walker put a shot on goal that bounced around the crease like a pinball before going in the net. With 1:49 left in the period, Johnston used the back of his stick to knock a shot past Colony netminder Forrest Savel.

In the third period, Savel kept the Knights within reach of their Valley foe by stopping 15 WHS shots during the final 15 minutes.

“He played great tonight,” Colony head coach Dan Belanger said of his freshman netminder.

Wasilla’s extra work near the Colony goal also prevented the Knights from getting many chances on net. Colony was credited with only three shots during the final period.

“We were moving the puck better,” Troisi said. “We were getting our offense going, doing things we were trying to do the whole game.”

Colony’s lone score came about four minutes into the second period. After Colony’s top offensive line — Miller, Lance Nezaticky and Trevor Nickerson — worked the puck down into the Knights’ offensive zone, Nezaticky won a battle near the boards behind the goal and kicked the puck back to Nickerson, who put a hard shot on net. The Nickerson shot bounced off the pads of Wasilla goalie Chris Yaskus, and Miller crashed the net to knock in the rebound.

“With Yaskus, a lot is getting him to move side-to-side,” Belanger said. “He’s hard to score against straight on, but if you get him moving side-to-side and create some traffic.”

Colony’s top line had a number of chances throughout the first two periods. That offensive production is something the Knights have come to expect out of their top scoring unit.

“We had some good chances,” Belanger said. “We had some good scoring chances that didn’t even make the net.”

Ryder Conroy gave the Warriors the early lead, scoring just 1:40 into the game.

Wasilla 3, Colony 1

Friday, Menard Arena

Colony 0-1-0—1

Wasilla 1-2-0—3

First period — 1. Wasilla- Conroy (M. Johnston) 13:20.

Second period — 2. Colony- Miller (Nezaticky, Nickerson) 11:39, 3. Wasilla- Walker (Locke, Edwards) 5:59, 4. Wasilla- J. Johnston (Conroy, Hanson) pp 1:49.

Third period — no scoring.

Shots on goal: Colony 6-9-3—18, Wasilla 7-10-15—32; Saves: Colony- Savel6-8-15—29, Wasilla- Yaskus 6-8-3—17; Power plays: Colony 0-for-2, Wasilla 1-for-2; Penalties: Colony 2-for-4, Wasilla 2-for-4.

Knights sink

Mariners

WASILLA — Forward Lance Nezaticky posted the hat trick to lead the Colony Knights to a 6-0 North Star Conference win over the Homer Mariners at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla on Thursday afternoon.

Kevin Boyer, Daryl Belanger and Blake Wangberg also scored for CHS. Forrest Savel stopped all 20 Homer shots to earn the shutout in the Colony net.

Colony 6, Homer 0

Thursday, Brett Arena

First period — 1. Colony- Boyer (unassisted) 6:04, 2. Colony- Nezaticky (Doss) 4:04, 3. Colony- Belanger (Boyer) 0:27.

Second period — 4. Colony- Wangberg (Doss) 0:24.

Third period — 5. Colony- Nezaticky (Carter) 3:18, 6. Colony- Nezaticky (unassisted) 2:45.

Shots on goal: Homer 5-5-10—25, Colony 10-5-10—25; Saves: Homer- Eckert 7-4-8—19, Colony- Savel 5-5-10—20; PenaltiesL Homer 4-for-8, Colony 6-for-12.