Prep hockey: Knights skate into semis

HOMER — Colony used three consecutive goals to ice the Kenai Central Kardinals and move within one game of a trip to the state tournament with a 4-2 win during the North Star Conference Tournament quarterfinals at the Homer Ice Arena in Homer.

Senior forward Risto Paatsama scored twice for Colony, which got all four of its goals with its top line of Paatsama, senior Blake Huppert and sophomore Lance Nezaticky on the ice.

“I thought those guys played really well,” Colony coach Dale Mattson said following the game.

The two teams skated an even first period before Colony racked up two scores in the second to take control.

The Kardinals hurt themselves throughout the contest, taking penalties at key moments during the loss. Kenai finished with seven penalties in the game.

While the Kards didn’t help their cause offensively, by hindering the team’s ability to create scoring chances, the penalties also proved costly on the defensive end of the ice. Kenai allowed a pair of Knight power-play goals in the game.

“One of our biggest problems all season has been taking too many penalties,” Kenai coach Nate Kiel said following the game. “That really hurt us.”

Colony defenseman Chris Breck gave the Knights a 1-0 lead early in the first period, ripping a slap shot from just inside the blue line, past Kenai goalie Matt Barrett.

Huppert and Nezaticky assisted on the play.

Mattson said the production he got from his top line was crucial to Colony's success.

“They are the point producers. My other lines will get occasional points, but they're pretty much the working lines,” Mattson said.

The Knights had a golden opportunity to take an even bigger lead when the Kardinals were whistled for back-to-back penalties midway through the first, but the Knights were unable to take advantage of the 5-on-3 opportunity.

Kenai evened the score with just less than two minutes to go in the first period on a rebound goal by freshman forward Zack Sonnichsen.

Colony's offense roared to life in the second period, as the Knights peppered Barrett with 23 shots in the period. The Kenai goalie stood tall for much of the frame, but Colony finally broke through with a power-play score by Paatsama with 4:17 left in the period.

Paatsama also set up Colony's next goal, skating hard down the right side before flipping a perfect centering pass to his linemate, Nezaticky, who poked the puck past Barrett to stake the Knights to a 3-1 lead heading into the final period.

Paatsama made things 4-1 in the third when he netted Colony's second power-play score of the night.

Following the game, the Finnish exchange student said he couldn't have had a better introduction to North Star Conference tournament play.

“I usually play better in big games, so I was excited,” he said.

Paatsama, who stays with Huppert's family during the school year, said the chemistry between himself and his two linemates has grown both on and off the ice as the season has progressed.

“We spend a lot of time together,” he said.

Kenai's Cameron Borchgrevink scored with under a minute left to play for Kenai's second goal of the contest.

The loss sent Kenai packing just one game into the tournament, denying the team a chance to repeat as conference champions. The game was the final one in a Kenai uniform for Henrik Janefeldt and Reed Ehrhardt, two players Kiel singled out for praise following Friday's loss.

“They played their hearts out,” he said.

With plenty of players coming back, including goalie Barrett, Kiel said he sees plenty of hope for next season.

“We have some good things to look forward to,” he said.

Colony's win sets up a semifinal match with Wasilla today with a berth in the state tournament on the line. Though the Knights were swept during the regular season by the Warriors, Mattson said he's looking forward to the challenge.

“It's gonna be a battle,” Mattson said. “Obviously they're a tough team, but realistically, in a tournament, it's anybody's game.”

Paatsama said he thinks the Knights have at least a shot at reaching state with a win over the Warriors, a team that lost just one NSC game during the regular season.

“Everything's possible,” he said. “These are tournament games, so it's definitely possible.”

Contact Frontiersman sports reporter Matt Tunseth at matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com.

KNIGHTS 4, KARDINALS 2

North Star Conference quarterfinals

Thursday, Homer Ice Arena

Kenai 1-0-1—2

Colony 1-2-1—4

First period — 1. Colony, Breck (Huppert, Nezaticky), 3:43; 2. Kenai, Sonnichsen (Ehrhardt), 13:02.

Second period — 3. Colony, Paatsama (Breck, Nezaticky), 10:43; 4. Colony, Nezeticky (Paatsama), 13:49.

Third period — 5. Colony, Paatsama (Breck, Huppert), 6:54; 6. Kenai, Borchgrevink (Ehrhardt), 14:11.

Shots on goal — Kenai 3-7-4—14; Colony 10-13-5—28; Goalies — Kenai, Barrett (28 shots, 24 saves); Colony, Holmen (14 shots, 12 saves); Penalties: Colony 5-for-10, Kenai 7-for-14.