LAMBKINS VICTORY
Lambkins face Eagles in their first shot at state championship
Fort Collins forward Tanner Marsh celebrates after scoring a goal against Chaparral in the first period during the CHSAA Frozen Four at the Pepsi Center on Thursday night. The Lambkins earned their first championship berth with a 3-2 win over Chaparral. Fort Collins will face Valor Christian in Tuesday’s championship.
Valor Christian High School junior forward Evan Pahos did not expect to score when the puck left his stick.
His unintentional heroics Thursday night against Regis Jesuit in the CHSAA hockey semifinals at the Pepsi Center, though, were the difference in sending the Eagles soaring into next week’s championship game against Fort Collins.
Top-seeded Valor defeated No. 5 Regis, 2-1, after Pahos dumped the puck into the offensive zone late in the third period, and watched the rubber pinball from the boards behind Raiders goalie Gage Bussey, to the blade of his left skate, and into the net.
A lucky goal? Maybe. But that sure didn’t erase the smile from Pahos’ face while standing outside the winning locker room.
“The boards are really lively here,” Pahos said. “We all freaked out.”
Valor (19-2-1) last reached the title game in 2018 with a runner-up finish against Regis. The Eagles, led by former DU coach George Gwozdecky, faced the Raiders seven times this season with each game decided by no more than one goal. Regis completed its season at 13-8-2.
Valor took an early lead when it capitalized on a first-period power play 11 minutes into the game, as defenseman Ryan Kayser handled the puck in the offensive zone and sniped it unassisted past the lower pads of Bussey. The Raiders evened things late in the second period with their own powerplay goal when forward Will Laws flipped the puck over the left shoulder of Valor goalie senior Trey Hirschfield.
The third period began tied at 1-1, and the stage was set for Hirschfield to prove why he’s among the state’s top netminders. Hirschfield entered the semifinals with a .935 save percentage and was phenomenal in closing the game with several acrobatic saves.
“I was going to do everything I can along with my team, all be together to win this game, and that’s what ended up happening,” Hirschfield said. “We lost (state) two years ago. We’re winning it this year.”
Prior to the singing of the national anthem, the public address announcer at the Pepsi Center asked for a moment of silence and provided a short audio tribute for Cale Woodley, the son of Regis coach Dan
Woodley, who died Feb. 25 in Florida after an accidental shooting.
Cale Woodley, 21, played three seasons for the Raiders’ hockey team, winning a state championship in 2016 as a senior. Dan Woodley was on the Regis bench Thursday coaching his team.
“For Dan to be able to coach his team after what has happened to his family, you have to give him all the credit in the world,” Gwozdecky said.
Fort Collins 3, Chaparral 2. The city-unified Fort Collins hockey program, in its fourth year of existence, is not letting age dictate expectations.
The Lambkins are legit.
No. 3 Fort Collins (18-3-1) earned a 3-2 victory against No. 2 Chaparral in the state semifinals. All of the Lambkins’ goals arrived in the first period, with scoring from Jason Campos, Tanner Marsh and Nolan Williamson.
“We’re a very young team,” Fort Collins coach Dylan Strom said. “It almost works to your advantage in some occasions where you’re naïve how big the moment actually is, and we try to use that to our advantage.”
Fort Collins faces Valor Christian on Tuesday for the Lambkins’ first shot at a state title.