Pretty play gives Knights win over Mustangs

WASILLA — Assists may show up on the scoresheet, but sometimes the players passing the puck doesn’t get nearly as much credit as they deserve.

On Saturday, Gabriel Gamez scored the game-winner during a 1-0 victory over the Chugiak Mustangs at the Curtis. C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla, but it was Trevor Naylor who came up with the perfect pass.

Naylor skated down the rink wide, and as both Chugiak defensemen collapsed, the senior center sent a pass across to Gamez. The puck hit the tape on the blade of Gamez’s stick perfectly, and Gamez tapped a shot into the net for a score.

“It’s the best pass I’ve seen in 10 years,” Colony head coach Jamie Smith said of the play.

The play, midway through the second period, was the lone score in the evenly matched nonconference contest. Both teams finished with 24 shots, and both teams had quality scoring opportunities.

Colony senior goaltender Forrest Savel stopped all 24 shots he saved to earn the win. Smith felt Savel’s biggest saves could have come in the final moments of regulation as Chugiak played with the extra attacker.

“They had a couple of real nice opportunities at the end,” Smith said. “Forrest came up with two gigantic saves.”

Smith also praised the work of Chugiak goalie Matt Bennett, who recorded 23 saves, including nine in the first period.

Bennet’s biggest save of the night, arguably, was on a penalty shot in the first period. Junior Morgan McJimsey was awarded the penalty shot after he was drug down from behind on a breakaway.

Colony’s win over the Mustangs marked its sixth straight and 10th of the season. The Knights (10-4) also scored a 5-4 win over Juneau-Douglas at the Brett Memorial Ice Arena on Friday.

Naylor scored the game-winning power-play goal in the third period to give the Knights the nonconference victory over the Crimson Bears.

Colony jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of quick Anthony Kolendo goals. Colony pushed its lead to 4-2 with goals by Alex Svoboda and Jonathon Boyer, but Juneau tied the score with a pair of power-play goals early in the third.

Colony outshot Juneau 48-31 in the win. Colton Beebee made 27 saves in the Knights net.

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