The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Annual Alumni Game Friday, December 26 at 5 p.m. at Big Mine
By Than Acuff
While the Crested Butte Titans hockey team did not have its best game on the road against Caprock Academy on Friday, December 19, they rebounded the next day to bring their A-game to the ice in Gunnison on Saturday, December 20 to hand the Durango Demons a 7-1 thumping.
The Caprock Academy Eagles joined the high school hockey Mountain League last year and struggled to put wins together in their inaugural season. But with year-round ice and a commitment from coaches and players, they’ve come a long way in their second season as an official CHSAA program and came into the game against Crested Butte on a two-game winning streak.
“They’re playing a lot better hockey,” says Titans head coach Paul O’Connor. “They’re a thriving hockey community there and they’ve put a lot of work in.”
As a result, the Titans knew it would be another tough, but winnable game, if they came in with the right mentality. Unfortunately, the needed edge was missing in the first period as the Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead over Crested Butte.
“We had won in the past against them without much focus and it showed in the first period,” says O’Connor.
The coaches used the break between the first and second period to refocus the team and while the Titans came out with more attention and effort, they were handed another blow as the Eagles scored two minutes in, leaving the Titans down 3-0.
“That was a big hill to climb,” says O’Connor.
More diligence and more focus did eventually pay off for the Titans. With the first and second lines, or the Last Steep and W Café lines as they are known on the team, pressing during their shifts it opened the game up for the third line, or yellow/green lines, and they capitalized. Jackson Moore picked off the puck in neutral ice and sent it deep into the Eagles’ zone and the Titans went on the attack. Bud McWilliams battled in the corner for the puck and Moore picked off Caprock’s clearing pass up the boards to skate to net and bury the shot.
“We switched around some lines to get him some ice time, and it paid off,” says O’Connor.
Unfortunately, Caprock netted a fourth three minutes into the third period before the Titans scored their next goal as Max Dukeman assisted Emery White and the Titans fell 4-2. Sophomore goalie JD Huresky was in net as senior Ryder Church was unavailable with a concussion, and he finished the game with 29 saves.
“We didn’t bring our best game and Caprock had a good defense and a good goalie,” says O’Connor.
The Titans had one night to regroup, and they certainly did, when they took to the ice against the Durango Demons on Saturday in Gunnison.
Crested Butte set the tone from the opening drop pressuring the puck and winning loose pucks all over the ice. Their renewed sense of purpose resulted in a goal by Luke Hartigan four minutes into the game. Two minutes later the Titans struck again as Ethan Suazo followed on a shot from Cobin O’Connor to score on the rebound.
Crested Butte continued to hold Durango in their defensive zone for much of the period resulting in a third goal when Dukeman scored on a rebound for a 3-0 lead. Durango did get a chance late in the period as a Titan defenseman slipped leaving an open lane to the Titans net, but Huresky made the stop, and the Titans had a 3-0 lead after one period of play.
“It was a completely different opening to the game,” says O’Connor. “That’s the Jekyll and Hyde of our team.”
Durango had its chances in the second period to claw back into the game but with Huresky on point in net and the Titans penalty kill solid, the Demons remained scoreless midway through the period.
“Our penalty kill has been some of our best play all season,” says O’Connor. “I think they play with a sense of urgency. We just need that urgency when it’s 5v5 too.”
Hartigan and White then connected for the Titans fourth goal 10 minutes into the second period and when the Demons started drawing additional penalties, Crested Butte capitalized to score two powerplay goals, with Dukeman getting both goals and White both assists, for a 6-0 lead.
“Our powerplay has been getting better and it was good to use it against Durango,” says O’Connor.
Crested Butte scored a seventh goal seven minutes into the third as Dukeman assisted White before the Demons finally scored but the damage was done as Crested Butte finished with the 7-1 win. Huresky finished with 24 saves.
“JD stepped in and stepped it up all weekend,” says O’Connor.
The win improved the Titans’ record to 4-5 and moved them into third place in the Mountain League standings with plenty of season left. They will take a break during the holidays, aside from the annual Alumni game on Friday, December 26 at 5 p.m.
“I’m looking forward to the Alumni game,” says O’Connor. “So many former players and fans come out for it, and it shows hockey is alive and well here.”
The Titans return to workouts next week and return to action when they head to Breckenridge to face Summit High School on Friday and Saturday, January 2-3.
“They got some talent and some kids that can skate,” says O’Connor. “The kids are starting to buy into the systems, playing with their heads up, supporting each other and using their brains. We just have to bring our best game, every game.”
