Knights win Big Lake hockey tourney

BIG LAKE — A pair of skaters enjoyed four-point nights and goalie Joey Diltz recorded an 18-save shutout to lead the Colony Knights to a 4-0 win over rival Palmer during the title game of the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Saturday night at the Big Lake Recreation Center.

Cooper Smith and Otto Thiele each factored in on all four of their team’s goals. Smith finished with two goals and two assists, and Thiele had a goal and three helps. Cy Eller finished with a three-point night, adding a goal and two assists.

Smith scored midway through the first period on the power play to give the Knights the lead. Smith and Thiele added goals during the second period, and Eller iced the game with a score in the third.

Colony outshot Palmer 29-18 in the win. Moose goalie Cody Grogan made 25 saves for Palmer.

Colony advanced to the finals of the eight-team tourney with victories over East Anchorage and Soldotna. Palmer beat Kenai in the first round, and edged rival Wasilla 6-5 in overtime in the semifinals on Friday.

Wasilla 8, Soldotna 0

Wasilla used a five-goal second period to hammer Soldotna 8-0 during the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic third-place game Saturday.

Garrett Conroy, Larsen Tubbs and Alex Engan scored two goals each for Wasilla. Alex Clark and Porter Schachle also found the back of the net.

Wasilla outshot Soldotna 55-13 in the win.

East 4, Houston 2

East held on for a 4-2 win over Houston in the fourth-place game of the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic.

East took a 3-0 lead, but Houston rallied with goals by Tristan Hracha and Isaac Smolden in the third period. East outshot Houston 45-23, but Caleb Beauvais came up with 41 saves for the Hawks.

Kenai 6, Lathrop 5

Kenai scored three times in the third period to rally to a 6-5 win over Lathrop during the final day of the Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic Saturday morning in Big Lake.

Levi Mese scored twice during the final 9 minutes, 19 seconds of play to help Kenai grab its first victory of the tournament. Jakeb O’Brien and Triston Bulot also scored twice for the Kardinals.

Five different players found the back of the net for the Malemutes, and all five goals came on special teams. Hayden Masterson, Ben Gutting, Adam Victorino and Colin King each scored on the power play for Lathrop. Trenton Spears added a shorthanded tally.

Lathrop led 4-3 heading into the final period.

All-tourney

Palmer forward Josh Meyers, Wasilla forward Garrett Conroy, Colony forward Otto Thiele, East defenseman Laauli Tosi, Houston defenseman Reed Humphreys and Lathrop goalie Emelia Helms-Leslie were named all-tournament.

Colony 4, Palmer 0

Big Lake Christmas Classic

Saturday, Big Lake Rec Center

First period — 1. Colony- Smith (Thiele, Riekena) pp 5:14.

Second period — 2. Colony- Smith (Thiele, Eller) 2:26; 3. Colony- Thiele (Eller, Smith) 0:15.

Third period — 4. Colony- Eller (Thiele, Smith) 5:30.

Shots on goal: Colony 8-16-3—29, Palmer 8-7-3—18; Saves: Colony- Diltz 8-7-3—18.

Wasilla 8, Soldotna 0

Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic

Saturday, Big Lake Rec Center

First period — 1. Wasilla- Conroy (Tubbs) 4:22; 2. Wasilla- Engan (Schachle, Harren) pp 1:25.

Second period — 3. Wasilla- Engan (Harren, Schachle) pp 11:58; 4. Wasilla- Conroy (Monk, Holohan) 9:44; 5. Wasilla- Tubbs (Conroy, Holohan) 9:15; 6. Wasilla- Clark (Engan, Butcher) pp 4:03; 7. Wasilla- Schachle (unassisted) 00:38.

Third period — 8. Wasilla- Tubbs (Conroy, Butcher) 11:53.

Shots on goal: Wasilla 18-18-19—55, Soldotna 5-3-5—13; Saves: Wasilla- Curry 5-3-5—13, Soldotna- Yoder 16-13-18—47.

East Anchorage 4, Houston 2

Big Lake Lions Christmas Classic

Saturday, Big Lake Rec Center

First period — 1. East- Hayes (Johnson) 14:18.

Second period — 2. East- Johnson (Hayes, Ceccarelli) 8:21; 3. East- Tosi (unassisted) 4:45.

Third period — 4. Houston- Hracha (unassisted) 11:51; 5. Houston- Smolden (Gillespie) pp 8:30; 6. East- Tosi (Johnson, Eddens) 1:50.

Shots on goal: East 14-18-13—45, Houston 9-7-7—23; Saves: East- Hudson 9-7-5—21; Houston- Beauvais 13-17-11—41.

Kenai 6, Lathrop 5

Big Lake Christmas Classic

Saturday, Big Lake Rec Center

First period — 1. Kenai- O’Brien (Bulot) 14:19; 2. Lathrop- Masterson (Stephens) pp 10:04; 3. Kenai- O’Brien (Hagel, Bulot) pp 3:30.

Second period — 4. Lathrop- Be. Gutting (King, Victorino) pp 11:06; 5. Lathrop- Victorino (King) pp 9:10; 6. Lathrop- Spears (unassisted) sh 7:35; 7. Kenai- Bulot (Mercado, Hagel) pp 1:49.

Third period — 8. Kenai- Bulot (unassisted); 9. Kenai- Mese (Bulot) 9:19; 10. Kenai- Mese (Bulot, O’Brien) pp 3:15; 11. Lathrop- King (Miscovich) pp 00:04.

Shots on goal: Kenai 6-4-9—19, Lathrop 9-8-10—27; Saves: Kenai- Williams 8-5-9—22, Lathrop- Bl. Gutting 4-3-6—13.