The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Host rematch with Glenwood Springs this Saturday
by Than Acuff
After knocking off Pueblo County in back-to-back games two weeks ago, the Crested Butte Titans hockey team dropped both games this past weekend losing 5-2 to Glenwood Springs on the road Friday, January 31 and then returning home Saturday, February 1 to fall to Battle Mountain 4-2.
The Titans got on the scoreboard first against Glenwood Springs as Graham Barrett, the leading goal scorer in the Peak Conference, scored 17 seconds into the game off an assist from Joseph Stock.
Glenwood responded a minute later, tacked on a short-handed goal later in the period and then added a third goal early in the second period to go up 3-1. The Titans responded on a powerplay in the 12th minute of the second period when Stock scored off an assist from Barrett and Chris Myers to pull within one, but Glenwood netted two more goals late in the third period to seal the 5-2 win. Titans goalie Shaughn Rourke finished the game with 29 saves.
The Titans returned to Crested Butte and came out flying in the opening minutes of the first period against the Battle Mountain Huskies. They got a clean look on net in the opening 10 seconds only to get denied but eventually broke through in the third minute on a faceoff in front of the Titans’ net. Matthew Solanik won the draw and the puck dropped to Stock who found Barrett breaking free up ice to take the pass. Barrett skated to net and beat the Huskies goalie with a backhand for a 1-0 lead.
Seven minutes later the Titans struck again as they penetrated deep into the Huskies’ zone with players on their skates and cycling through. The puck eventually spat out to Barrett just inside the blue line and he fired a shot that Stock tipped past the Huskies goalie for a 2-0 Titans’ lead.
Battle Mountain regrouped as the period wore on and managed to tie the game in the latter stages of the first period and then tacked on a third goal in the 14th minute of the second period.
The Huskies scored in the third minute of the third period to go up 4-2 and shut the Titans down the remainder of the game to seal the Titans’ fate.
Crested Butte hopes to rebound this week with games against Resurrection Christian on the road and then return home on Saturday, February 8 when they host a rematch against Glenwood Springs. The puck drops at 2:30 p.m.
