Knights power to hockey win over Wasilla

WASILLA — It looks like the Colony Knights do not have a number one goaltender.

Colony actually has two of them.

Just days after sophomore Joey Diltz recorded a shutout during a 4-0 win over Palmer, another sophomore, Alex Gamez, used a 21-save effort to lead the Knights to a 4-2 win over the Wasilla Warriors Wednesday at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

“They’re battling back and forth,” Colony head coach said of the goalies. “There’s no number one right now.”

And the goaltender depth doesn’t end with Diltz and Gamez. Another sophomore, Cole Doss, has posted similar numbers when given an opportunity between the pipes.

“Both (Diltz and Gamez) are sitting at a 94 saves percentage right now, and Doss is actually right there too at 94,” Smith said.

Gamez recorded eight of his 21 saves in the third period to help Colony improve to 4-0 in North Star Conference play.

The saves included a penalty shot and a pair of prime shorthanded opportunities for the Warriors.

With just less than 10 minutes left in the first period, Wasilla senior captain Larsen Tubbs was awarded a penalty shot, and Gamez stood strong on the right side of the crease to deny the attempt. Gamez was also able to knock away a pair of quality shorthanded scoring chances by Wasilla forward Garrett Conroy.

With about 8:30 left, Conroy beat the defense and broke free for a short breakaway, but Gamez made the save. Conroy broke away from the defense with the Warriors shorthanded again with about 90 seconds left in regulation, but Gamez made a glove save to take away the opportunity.

With Gamez leading the Knights in the defensive end, sophomore Cooper Smith paced the offense with a hat trick. Smith scored twice on the power play, and used a pair of second-half goals to help Colony break open the game.

With the Knights on the power play late in the first period, Smith picked up a loose puck on the inside edge of the left wing circle, and snapped a shot just inside the near-side post. That goal gave Colony a 2-0 lead.

With the Knights leading 2-1 midway through the second, Smith deflected a shot into the Warriors to register another power play goal and push Colony’s lead to 3-1. About three minutes later, Smith capped an odd-man rush with a goal to notch the hat trick for the game.

Jacob Kirsch opened the scoring for Colony, deflecting a Kolten Ketchum shot from the point into the net.

Conroy and Alex Clark scored for Wasilla.

Twenty-four seconds into the second period, Conroy snapped a wrist shot from the right wing circle into the far side of the net to put the Warriors on scoreboard. Midway through the third period, Clark swept a rebound into the net to cut Colony’s lead to 4-2.

Wasilla dropped to 3-2 in North Star play with the loss

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

Colony 4, Wasilla 2

Wednesday, Brett Arena

First period — 1. Colony- Kirsch (Ketchum) 8:04; 2. Colony- Smith (unassisted) pp 4:24.

Second period — 3. Wasilla- Conroy (Tubbs, Butcher) 14:36; 4. Colony- Smith (unassisted) 7:03; 5. Colony- Smith (Thiele, Havel) 3:34.

Third period — 6. Wasilla- Clark (Butcher, Conroy) 6:13.

Shots on goal: Colony 6-10-5—21, Wasilla 6-8-9—23, Saves: Colony- Gamez 6-7-8—21, Wasilla- Curry 4-8-5—17.