Knights jump back into 1st place

WASILLA — In early December, Homer stunned three-time defending North Star Conference champion Colony with a goal during the final seconds of overtime. Friday, the Knights had another crack at the Mariners. And now Colony is back on top of the conference standings.

Colony scored four unanswered goals en route to a 5-2 win over the Mariners at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

Colony head coach Jamie Smith said the Knights certainly had the game against Homer circled on its calendar. Colony looked to avenge its lone conference loss of the regular season. But looking ahead, Smith said, the Knights needed the win to help ensure they are where they want to be on the NSC Championships bracket.

“Bottom line, if we don’t win that game it’s going to be us playing Wasilla on the (bottom side) of the bracket,” Smith said. “Wasilla doesn’t want that. We don’t want that.”

Colony improved to 6-1-0 with the win, jumping ahead of both Homer (5-2-0) and Wasilla (5-2-0) in the standings. As it currently stands, Colony would be on the opposite side of Homer and Wasilla on the region bracket.

“We want to let Wasilla and Homer battle it out on the other side,” Smith said.

Colony’s top line of forwards accounted for all five goals in the win. The NLC rivals skated through a scoreless first period, were tied at 1 after the second, and Homer took a lead early in the third. Shortly after Spencer Warren scored to give the Mariners their first lead of the game, Smith said the Knights were able to find a way to pull the momentum back their way.

“The big thing, the kids put the pedal down, got pretty tenacious,” Smith said. “Got after them.”

Smith said his veterans also stepped up, and took over the game.

Seniors Cooper Smith and Foster Riekena, two-thirds of the top line, combined for three goals during a nine-minute span in the third. The other member of the line, junior Mitchell Diltz, tallied Colony’s first and fifth goals of the game.

Trailing 2-1, Cooper Smith scored the first of his two goals to tie the score at 2. At the 5:48 mark, Riekena scored to give the Knights the lead. Smith blasted a one-time on the power play to push Colony’s advantage to 4-2. Diltz buried an empty-netter during the final seconds.

Colony outshot Homer 39-15 in the win. Hunter Warren made 34 saves for the Mariners.

“Their goaltender played really well,” Smith said.

Homer skated into the holiday break with a 5-0-0 record in conference play. In December, Homer made school history, recording a home sweep against the three Valley teams on consecutive days for the first time in school history.

“They never stop working,” Smith said of the Mariners. “They’re tough to play. They’re gritty.”

Homer’s loss Friday was its second in as many days. The Mariners suffered a tough 1-0 loss to Wasilla on Thursday.

Colony caps its weekend, hosting Soldotna at noon at the Menard Arena.

Wasilla nets another shutout

The Wasilla Warriors earned a shutout for the second straight night, blasting Soldotna 9-0.

Porter Schachle enjoyed a five-point night, netting a hat trick and two assists for the Warriors. Chase Schachle and Slayte Wohlers added two goals each. Hayden Masterson and Dillon Matson also scored.

Sean Carney made 20 saves in the shutout.

Thursday, Aaron Campbell stopped 18 shots during a 1-0 win over Homer. Garrison Holler tallied the lone score of the game, netting the game-winner for the Warriors midway through the third.

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

Colony 5, Homer 2

Friday, Menard Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Colony- Diltz (Reid, Evans) 13:35; 2. Homer- Kuzmin (Pitzman, Weston) 0:13.

Third period — 3. Homer- S. Warren (unassisted) 12:47; 4. Colony- Smith (Ketchum) 11:48; 5. Colony- Riekena (Diltz, Smith) 5:48; 6. Colony- Smith (Hessinger) pp 2:49; 7. Colony- Diltz (Smith) en 0:06.

Shots on goal: Homer 4-3-8—15, Colony 12-14-12—39; Saves: Homer- H. Warren 13-13-8—34; Colony- Doss 4-2-7—13.

Colony 12, Kenai Central 1

Thursday, Menard Memorial Arena

First period — 1. Colony- Diltz (Riekena, Smith) 14:45; 2. Colony- Jellich (Smith) 9:29; 3. Colony- Smith (unassisted) sh 8:11; 4. Colony- Evans (Monaco, Hessinger) 5:27 5. Colony- Evans (Ewing) 2:32; 6. Colony- Riekena (Smith, Evans) pp 0:33.

Second period — 7. Colony- Smith- (Ko. Ketchum) 0:33; 8. Colony- Smith (Riekena, Ka. Ketchum) 8:51; 9. Kenai- Mese (O’Brien) 8:06; 10. Colony- Hessinger (Evans, Jellich) 7:37; 11. Colony- Evans (Jellich, Monaco) 6:06; 12. Colony- Hessinger (Jellich) 1:30.

Third period — 13. Colony- Smith (Diltz, Ewing) 7:44.

Shots on goal: Kenai 6-3-3—12, Colony 17-11-9—37; Saves: Kenai- Tree 9-6-8—23, Carver 2-x-x—2; Colony- Doss 5-1-x—6, Shephard x-2-3—5.