Knights use big third to skate past Stars

PALMER — Sometimes it’s the unscripted play that produces the results.

Colony’s Kaden Ketchum threw in a puck from beyond the blue line that found the back of the net to spark a four-goal third period, and the Knights posted a 6-2 win over Soldotna during the second day of the Palmer Hockey Showdown Friday at the MTA Events Center in Palmer.

“That’s what we told them. Get the puck on the net and go get rebounds,” Colony head coach Ron Stadem said after the win.

Ayden Attungana notched a hat trick in the win, scoring two of his three goals during the final period.

“Ayden got a couple of goals on rebounds. Playing hard, going to the net,” Stadem said. “Playing the way we’re supposed to play.”

Colony held a 2-0 lead after the first, and needed to rebound from SoHi’s two-goal second to grab the nonconference win. Stadem said after the second period, the conversation in the locker room was focused on how the Knights needed to play.

“We came out a lot stronger. It worked for us,” Stadem said.

Attungana and Carson McLaughlin scored during the first period to give the Knights the 2-0 lead. Early in the second, Soldotna’s Galen Brantley III chased down a loose puck in the Knights defensive zone. Colony goalie Kaylee Norman ventured out of the crease to try to swipe away the puck. Brantley III caught the puck between the circles and made a move to the net. Late in the second, Soldotna’s Gavin Haakenson put a shot on goal. Trent Powell knocked in the rebound for the Stars to tie the game at 2.

Stadem said he was pleased to see Norman respond and bounce back from Soldotna’s two-goal second period.

“She got her head back on her shoulders and really played well the rest of the game,” Stadem said.

Norman made 24 saves in the win.

Earlier in the day, Homer beat Wasilla 3-1. Alden Ross, Tucker Weston and Isaiah Nevak scored for Homer. Langston Bouma notched the lone goal for the Warriors.

In Friday’s nightcap, West edged host Palmer 3-1. Palmer’s Owen Hayes scored 40 seconds into the third period to tie the score at 1. West followed with a pair of unanswered, including an empty-netter with nine seconds left.