The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“I definitely think we still have a ways to go”
by Than Acuff
The Crested Butte Titans hockey team hit the road last weekend for two games against Steamboat Springs and after a late-game rally paced them to a 6-2 win in the first game, the Titans crumbled in the second game, falling 5-3.
The Titans had some trouble shaking off the road trip in the first game but did light the lamp first as Ted Trujillo scored off an assist from Kaden Hardesty seven minutes into the first period. Steamboat tied the game up 1-1 seven minutes later but the Titans retook the lead four minutes into the second period on a goal by Jack Lambert. But flat feet and lazy legs from the Titans allowed Steamboat to respond and the two were notched in a 2-2 tie at the end of the second period.
“It seemed like in the first and second period we were flat,” says captain Slater Weil.
But some inspiring words from coach Billy Watson and a collective mind shift by the players during the break led to an explosive third period as the Titans went to work almost immediately.
Sam Stepanek scored in the opening minutes of the third period off assists from John Smith and Joseph Stock. Six minutes later the Titans struck again as Graham Barrett scored off an assist from Lambert and the Titans were chugging.
Barrett tacked on his second goal of the game in the 14th minute of the third and the icing on the cake came in the final minutes when Joe Coburn scored a power play goal for the 6-2 Titans win. Goalie Shaughn Rourke finished the game stopping 18 of 20 shots, while the Titans racked up 41 shots on goal over the three periods.
“The momentum shifted after we scored that first goal in the third period,” says Weil. “Our confidence was up and shots just started going in.”
The two teams squared off again the following day on Saturday, December 8 and the Titans struggled through all three periods to try to find their rhythm. Steamboat scored first this time but the Titans responded on a power play as Hardesty scored off an assist from Trujillo. Steamboat retook the lead three minutes later and then added to their lead on a power play four minutes into the second period to go up 3-1.
“We started out flat again and there were a few penalties here and there and that got under our skin a little bit,” says Weil. “We started focusing on the refs instead of the game.”
The Titans refused to give in though, and they were back in the game when Luke Collins scored off an assist from Coburn, but another penalty had the Titans a man down again and Steamboat capitalized to take a 4-2 lead into the third period.
Stock scored five minutes into the third period to breathe a little life back into the Titans play, but Steamboat added one last goal and a flurry of penalties for both teams quashed any hope of a Titans comeback, as they eventually fell 5-3.
The Titans have their first home game of the season on Saturday, December 15 when they host Woodland Park in Gunnison at high noon.
“I definitely think we still have a ways to go,” says Weil. “There were some glimpses of 1-2 passing and setting up our power play looked good. If we can take those glimpses and turn it into a whole period and a game, it’s going to be a good season for us.”
