Knights blank Moose

WASILLA — There are certain nights in which the Colony Knights are going to have to rely on the steady presence of their veteran blueliners.

Tuesday was one of those nights.

Colony held Palmer to single digits in shots in each period, and only 15 in the game, as the Knights overcame a slow start on offense and posted a 3-0 win over the Moose at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

“Our defense played good today,” Colony head coach Jamie Smith said after the win. “They did a good job, kept everything to the outside.”

Smith praised senior Kolten Ketchum and junior Zachary Monaco, leaders of that group.

“They’re our two steady Eddies. One of them is going to be on the rink at all times,” Smith said.

Smith said the Knights have been working on their defensive rotation, finding a way to blend in senior Logan Franzen, junior Brett Ewing and sophomore Blake Reid with Ketchum and Monaco. Smith said junior Bradley Amato as also emerged as a contributor on the defensive side.

Colony outshot Palmer 35-15. Cole Doss earned the 15-save shutout.

Palmer sophomore TJ O’Rourke made 32 saves in the loss.

“He came up really big,” Smith said of the Palmer netminder. “But he’s a good goaltender.”

O’Rourke made 10 saves in the first period, none bigger than a stop on a Foster Riekena breakaway midway through the period.

“That could have opened up the game a little bit,” Smith said of Riekena scoring there.

Riekena did score a big goal for the Knights in the third period. The senior forward slapped a shot from the top of the left wing circle on a Colony power play to give the Knights a 2-0 lead. Riekena entered the contest with just a pair of goals in his first 11 games of the year.

“He’s been snakebit,” Smith said. “I told him, he’s just got to keep shooting, keep throwing the puck at the net.”

Tea’jean Evans also scored in the third period for the Knights. Evans tucked a shot underneath the right corner of the net to give Colony the 3-0 lead.

Senior Cooper Smith gave Colony at 1-0 lead early in the second.

Jamie Smith said his team has been battling through sickness and fatigue. Colony has spent the last two weekends on the road. During the first weekend of December, the Knights toured the Kenai Peninsula, hitting Kenai, Soldotna and Homer. Last weekend, the Knights were in the Interior with games against Lathrop, North Pole and West Valley.

Later this weekend, the Knights will pack their bags again, with a pair of games in Juneau.

Colony improved to 4-1 in North Star Conference play. Palmer dropped to 2-2. The Moose host Wasilla Thursday at 7 p.m. at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.

Wasilla 4, West Anchorage 0

Four different players scored, leading Wasilla to a 4-0 nonconference win Tuesday at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

McKinley Larson, Porter Schachle, Lucas Gudz and Hayden Masterson each found the back of the net for the Warriors, who outshot the Eagles 48-14.

Aaron Campbell recorded the shutout in the Wasilla net.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Colony 3, Palmer 0

Tuesday, Menard Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Colony- Smith (Ketchum) 4x4 12:22.

Third period — 2. Colony- Riekena (Ketchum, Evans) 7:52; 3. Colony- Evans (Diltz, Reid) 4:57.

Shots on goal: Palmer 4-8-3—15, Colony 10-6-19—35; Saves: Palmer- O’Rourke 10-5-17—32, Colony- Doss 4-8-3—15.