Wolfpack takes care of business against Front Range teams

Poised for run in post season

Confidence was high heading into the four-game home stand for the Crested Butte Wolfpack last weekend. They’ve been lighting up the league, winning eight games in a row prior to the weekend and gunning to finish in the top four in the final league standings and earn a spot in the post-season.
Four wins at home would secure their spot in the playoffs, and while it was the first time the Wolfpack faced the two Front Range teams this year, coach John Mortell did have a little information on them and planned accordingly.
“They lead the league in penalty minutes so we knew it was going to be chippy,” says Mortell. “We did a lot of contact drills last week.”
The Wolfpack opened the weekend on Saturday, February 8 with two games against Arvada and rolled with the punches to rattle off back-to-back wins.
The Wolfpack took advantage of Arvada’s penchant for penalties in the first period when Ian Dethloff scored on a powerplay eight minutes into the game. Arvada tied it up late in the first and then took a 2-1 lead midway through the second but with the Wolfpack peppering Arvada’s net with shots, their break would come.
It took until the final minute of the second period before the Wolfpack could get past Arvada’s outstanding goalie and massive defenseman. Sam Reaman scored off an assist from Dakota Wiggins and then 20 seconds later Danny D’Aquila found the back of the net off an assist from Danny Stoneberg for a 3-2 Wolfpack lead.
After a tense third period with neither team scoring, the Wolfpack sealed the win when Reaman scored on a powerplay in the final minute of the game.
“I was sweating it,” says Mortell. “It seemed like the clock was rolling backwards.”
The two teams squared off again later that day and the game was somewhat tempered until the third period.
After a scoreless first, Dethloff put the Wolfpack on the board in the second period during another powerplay. Arvada tied it up early in the third period but the Wolfpack responded immediately as Josh Melnick netted two goals in eight seconds. After scoring off an assist from Gage Meredith, Melnick proceeded to win the ensuing faceoff and skated straight to net to score again and put the Wolfpack on top 3-1.
Arvada came back to cut the Wolfpack lead back down to one but Reaman struck again for Crested Butte scoring in the 11th minute off an assist from Ashton Mabry for another 4-2 Wolfpack win.
“We were pretty well matched and we knew if we let up at all, they would take advantage of us,” says Mortell. “Our powerplay was effective and we had a new one in place which was working really well.”
Crested Butte got a scare early Sunday morning against Hyland Hills. The team did what they could to motivate for the early game but there was nothing that could wake up the squad.
“There’s no question, the Wolfpack is not a morning team,” says Mortell. “We tried everything, even blasting Metallica at 7 a.m. in the locker room.”
The sluggish play of the Wolfpack nearly cost them the game as they fell behind 2-0 heading into the second period.
“We were on our heels and they took advantage of us,” says Mortell.
But as the game wore on, the Wolfpack adjusted accordingly and started to pull back into the game. They finally scored as D’Aquila netted a shorthanded goal that sparked the Wolfpack. But the game-tying goal continued to elude them until the final minute of play as Reaman found Dakota Wiggins behind the net and Wiggins fed Gus Hensley in the slot to save the tie.
“It was a little disappointing but being down 2-0 and fighting back to get the tie was huge,” says Mortell.
It took the Wolfpack a little while to warm up for their second game against Hyland Hills as well. While the hope was to carry momentum from the third period into the second game, it didn’t pan out and Hyland was pressuring Crested Butte in their defensive zone to start the game.
The Wolfpack killed a big penalty five minutes into the game and shook out of their early game doldrums to match Hyland’s pace.
Montana Wiggins came up with huge glove save to deny a tip later in the period and by the time the first period ended, the teams were locked in a 0-0 tie.
Crested Butte started to open the game up and take control in the second period. Both Dethloff and Reaman had chances on net and a penalty on Hyland then opened up a chance for Crested Butte 10 minutes into the second.
The Wolfpack’s powerplay came through once again as Reaman was alone behind the net, and as Hyland looked to cover cutters to the net, Reaman skated around and stuffed the puck just inside the near post.
Hyland responded less than 30 seconds later to tie the game but the Wolfpack continued to set the pace of the game and pushed it up a notch in the third period.
“It was time to take advantage of playing at altitude,” says Mortell. “I got them together with eight minutes left and told them, ‘We can do anything for eight minutes.’”
The Wolfpack responded and when Hyland looked to push forward with the puck, Crested Butte countered as Reaman broke free off a pass from Wiggins and skated to net to score the eventual game-winner.
Taking seven of eight points was big for the Wolfpack as they look to position themselves for the post-season but it is far from over. They have one more game against Gunnison and then close the regular season with three games against Glenwood with the playoffs still hanging in the balance.