Titans alumni win annual hockey showdown

New format a great success

By Than Acuff

So, for years, the alumni hockey bench at the annual alumni game over the holidays was a flesh mass of humanity 30-strong with former Titan and Wolfpack players vying for ice time against the current Crested Butte Titans high school hockey team. And while the decade-long tradition created a great series with the two teams trading off wins and leading to late game heroics from both the high school team and the alumni team, it still left alumni players wanting more time on the ice.

It also left several parents, fans and coaches of the current high school team relieved that none of the high school players got hurt when playing against the alumni, several of whom may have been a bit “loosened up” by their choice of gametime refreshments.

Until this year.

After years of talking about it, the powers that be opted for a new format in which only alumni would play in the alumni hockey game. And, as chance would have it, there were enough alumni players in town to provide a succinct delineation of who was on what team. That is, there were enough former Wolfpack players, the OG local high school aged club hockey team, and enough former Titan players to create two teams, including goalies, separated by that alone. Though a couple who played both opted for the Wolfpack.

Not only that but the decision was made to go with three 25-minute periods to ensure everyone got ample ice time. And what ensued Thursday, December 26 at Big Mine Ice Arena was near perfect. 

Although, one could argue that the longer periods did ultimately result in the undoing of the older alumni team as the Wolfpack alumni fell to the Titan alumni 7-4.

The Wolfpack alumni came out hot and seemingly scored first only to have the goal disallowed without hardly a complaint, which was weird. After tasting blood in their first attempt, the Wolfpack continued to press the Titans alumni, but Titan alumni goalie Shaughn Rourke was up to the initial onslaught turning away several Wolfpack shots. 

Once things settled midway through the first period, the Titans alumni started turning the screws fueled by the play Sam Stepanek, Joseph Stock and others who continued their competitive hockey careers after high school. While Wolfpack alumni goalie Cam Curtiss was in place and on point as well, the Titans would break the seal 10 minutes into the first period when Rachel Potoker cut off a Wolfpack breakout at the blue line to get the puck to Adam Collins. Collins would then find Shane McGuinness who fed Grady Dietrich, of Grady Train fame, for his goal and a 1-0 lead.

The Wolfpack responded four minutes later when Sam Evans set up Gus Hensley in the slot to tie the game but 45 seconds later the Titans would go back on top as Stock broke free for a one-on-one and roofed his shot for a 2-1 lead. The Wolfpack’s late period surge set up numerous shots, but Rourke continued to turn all attempts away to hold the slim one-goal lead.

Having shaken the cobwebs off, the Wolfpack seemed to find their feet in the second period inspired by some quality shifts from Rask Dietrich and Dylan Curtiss, the cycling puck handling skills of Sam Reaman and the defensive efforts of Cosmo Langsfeld. As to be expected, the Wolfpack did pick up a penalty, but the Titans suffered at the crafty play of Sam Evans as he seized on a powerplay miscue by the Titans to break loose and score a shorthanded goal.

A second Titans powerplay offered up better chances but Curtiss made the requisite saves and once the teams were back to even strength, the Wolfpack struck again when Reaman set up Dakota Wiggins in the high slot and Wiggins punched the puck up where mom keeps the peanut butter for a 3-2 Wolfpack lead.

The Wolfpack continued to push until the end of the second period with Rob Holleran, John Tharp and Mo Gillie finding some connections of old but struggled to build on their lead taking their slim advantage into the third period.

And this is when age, or rather youth, took hold.

The Titans tied the game three minutes into the third period when a pass from Jack Lambert intended for the slot clipped off a Wolfpack player and into the net. The Titans continued to press and while Curtiss was making a bid for game MVP with a succession of saves, the floodgates would eventually open as the younger legs and lungs of the Titan players soon took over.

Grady found Oliver Houseman open at the point with a pass and Houseman buried his wrist shot for a 4-3 lead 10 minutes into the third period. The Wolfpack continued to hang on but Lambert and Stepanek scored back-to-back goals 30 seconds apart in the 18^th minute and Matthew Solanik tacked on a seventh Titans’ goal with a solo effort.

The Wolfpack did have the final say though in the final two minutes when Reaman fed Ashton Mabry in the slot with a pass. Mabry’s initial attempt was denied but Dylan Curtiss was right there as well to poke it in for the Wolfpack, but the damage was done as the Titans finished the Wolfpack off 7-4.

That said, this is the start of something greater for the annual alumni hockey game. See you next year.