The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Record stands at 6-2
The Gunnison Blades U-19 girls’ hockey team continues to fire through league opponents handing Steamboat Springs back-to-back losses this past weekend. The two wins improved the Blades’ record to 6-2 and have them poised for a late season run on the league title.
Steamboat brings a considerable amount of speed to the ice and has a handful of standout players. They opened the first game against the Blades shutting down passing lanes handcuffing the Blades’ numerous breakout attempts.
The Blades countered with heavy pressure on the puck creating havoc for Steamboat as well.
“We’ve been practicing two on the puck to create faster turnovers,” says coach Katie Brawner.
The Blades got a break six minutes into the game when Maddie Lambert picked off a pass in neutral ice and pushed it forward to Marissa Lambert who broke loose past the Steamboat defense.
Marissa carried the puck to net and beat the Steamboat goalie with a flick top shelf for a 1-0 Blades lead.
Steamboat pressed forward to open up a couple shots on net but Blades net minder Madison Smith was spot on turning away each attempt.
The Blades had a chance late in the first period to build on their lead with a power play but Steamboat’s penalty kill rendered the Blades’ attack futile.
Big hustle paced the Blades through most of the second period with numerous back checks breaking up Steamboat’s attack on net. The effort paid off with two minutes left in the second period when Maddie chased a loose puck down behind the Blades’ net and skated up ice through the Steamboat players to fire a shot just inside the blue line for a shorthanded goal and a 2-0 Blades lead.
The Blades closed the second period with a textbook penalty kill and took control of the pace of the game heading into the third period.
But with just eight skaters for the Blades the coaches shifted their line up a bit to compensate for tired legs.
“We had a short bench so their legs got tired between the second and third periods,” explains Brawner. “So we played a third ‘D’ to try and keep the puck in their end.”
The two-goal lead is a dubious lead in hockey though and the Blades needed to put Steamboat away. The insurance strike for the Blades finally came in the sixth minute of the third when Ali McGuire snagged a loose puck in the neutral zone and pushed forward. McGuire blazed past two Steamboat players and when a third slid over to pick her up, McGuire dished the puck off to Ali Sunter who stuffed it home to ice the Blades’ 3-0 win.
The two teams met again early Sunday morning and the Blades carried their momentum and then some into the second meeting with Steamboat lighting them up nine times for a 9-1 win.
“We came out flying, ready to play,” says Brawner. “It’s our house and we wanted to show them who is boss.”
McGuire led the team in scoring with three goals and three assists. Marissa joined McGuire with her own hat trick plus an assist and Sunter, Hailey Pike and Kaitlin Stewart each added one apiece.
“The girls are playing so strong right now,” adds Brawner. “They’re taking what we’re practicing out onto the ice at game time.”
The Blades will take a break over the holidays but return to the ice for four games on the Front Range January 5-6. Their next home game in Gunnison will be Saturday, January 12 at 8 p.m.
