Knights streak to 3-day sweep

WASILLA — The Colony Knights’ shutout streak was snapped, but the winning streak is still alive.

Colony, which recorded back-to-back shutouts on Thursday and Friday, secured the three-day sweep of Peninsula opponents with a 2-1 win over the Homer Mariners Saturday afternoon at the Menard Arena in Wasilla.

“For us, it’s everything,” Colony head coach Jamie Smith said of the three-win weekend, which included a 3-0 victory over Soldotna on Thursday and a 4-0 win over Kenai on Friday. “From the beginning, we’ve been trying to get a top-2 seed (in the North Star Conference tournament). We haven’t done that in years.”

The Knights improved to 6-2 in NSC play with the wins.

“It puts us in a real good position,” Smith said of the Knights, who are now locked in a first-place tie with Wasilla.

Colony caps regular season play against Wasilla Thursday and Palmer on Friday.

“For us, it gives us a little momentum here,” Smith said.

Colony and Knights netminder Colton Beebe nearly notched a third shutout in as many days. Homer’s Anton Kuzmin sent a loose puck into the net with only 26 seconds left in regulation.

“He went almost nine periods without giving up a goal,” Smith said.

Beebe stopped all 21 shots he saw on Thursday and all 27 on Friday, before stopping nine of 10 shots on Saturday.

“He’s our guy. When he plays great, we have a chance,” Smith said.

Colton Symbol gave Colony its first lead late in the second period. With 20 seconds left in the frame, Symbol scored on a play set up by Cy Eller. Jacob Kirsch added a goal midway through the third.

Colony 2, Homer 1

Saturday, Menard Arena

First period — no scoring.

Second period — 1. Colony- Symbol (Eller, Foster) 0:20.

Third period — 2. Colony- Kirsch (Diltz) 6:07; 3. Homer- Kuzmin (unassisted) 0:26.

Shots on goal: Homer 2-4-4—10, Colony 7-7-18—32; Saves: Homer- Polushkin 7-6-17—30, Colony- Beebe 2-4-3—9.

Knights blank another opponent

WASILLA — Another day, another shutout against a Peninsula rival for the Colony Knights.

Colony struck four times in the first period and held on for a 4-0 win over the Kenai Kardinals at the Menard Arena Friday night.

Jacob Kirsch and Mark Thygeson each scored just more than a minute apart early in the first to give the Knights a two-goal lead. Gunner Stadem and Jacob Link tallied goals less than two minutes apart midway through the first to extend Colony’s lead to four goals.

Senior Colton Beebe stopped 27 shots to earn the win and record his second straight shutout. Beebee and the Knights blanked the Soldotna Stars 3-0 on Thursday.

Colony forced Kenai starting netminder Justin Alvey out of the game, scoring three goals within the first nine minutes of regulation. Reserve Nate O’Lena stopped 22 of the 23 CHS shots he faced.

Colony 4, Kenai 0

Friday, Menard Arena

First period — 1. Colony- Kirsch (Vincent, Stadem) 11:51; 2. Colony- Thygeson (unassisted) 10:46; 3. Colony- Stadem (Sanders) 7:39; 4. Colony- Link (Eller, Stadem) 6:07.

Second period — no scoring.

Third period — no scoring.

Shots on goal: Kenai 7-11-9—27, Colony 14-6-9—29; Saves: Kenai- Alvey 3-x-x—3, O’Lena 7-6-9—22, Colony- Beebe 7-11-9—27.