Knights net 3 shutouts during hockey road trip

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.

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

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. Te'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 Zack Monaco also scored goals.

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.