The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Snow fails to slow Gunnison down
The hockey rivalry continues between the two ends of the valley and right now it appears it’s Gunnison’s time to shine.
The Crested Butte Wolfpack hosted the Gunnison Blades Wednesday night at Big Mine Ice Arena with spitting snow falling from the skies. The Blades proved the faster of the two teams during preseason games, so the hope was that the outdoor elements would somehow slow the Blades down.
But a rivalry is a rivalry, and the Blades were fired up for the game no matter the conditions.
The Blades scored in the third minute of the game stuffing a backhand past Wolfpack goalie Nicholas Mikeska for a 1-0 lead.
Gunnison held the puck in the Wolfpack zone for most of the first period but the Wolfpack scramble defense managed to hold off the assault to keep the game close heading into the second period.
Then things got a little ugly for Crested Butte as Gunnison kept plugging away, out-skating the Wolfpack to loose pucks and threading passes through the Wolfpack zone.
The Blades pulled ahead 2-0 on a wrist shot from just inside the blue line through a double screen, and heavy pressure from the Blades continued to paralyze the Wolfpack breakouts, and created a third Blades goal from the high slot.
Midway through the second period the Blades were sitting on a commanding 5-0 lead, but the Wolfpack kept plugging away, looking to deny Gunnison the shutout.
Their reward came in the final minute of the period when a shot from Collin Dill fell unattended on the weak side post and Jenner Currier dove across the slot to swat it in for the Wolfpack’s first and only goal.
Crested Butte played even hockey with the Blades through the third period, including killing two penalties but the Blades found the back of the net one more time in the ninth minute for the final dagger in the Wolfpack, capping the 6-1 Blades win.
The Wolfpack team is in the midst of a massive home stand with their next six games at Big Mine Ice Arena.
