REG opens C/B town league hockey with 2-1 win

Finally something works to bring snow

By Than Acuff

Now we all know what was needed to bring the snow. Not dancing. Not someone’s blown knee. Not Pagan rituals.

Rather, it was the start of the Crested Butte coed town league hockey season.

Sure, we’ve seen some recent storms but the snow falling Monday morning the day after the start of town league hockey just feels different. More like it is meant to be snowing, not we’re lucky it’s snowing.

Just like REG was meant to win, not just lucky to win, when they took down Crested Butte Electrical 2-1 on Sunday, January 4 marking the opening of the C/B town league season.

And, in this sports writer’s humble opinion, the C/B league may have taken a step up since last season. I seem to recall some spinning in place from players in the opening game last year but there was none of that in the game between REG and CB Electrical as both teams provided quality positional play, passing, puck handling and goalies Lucas McMullan and Ryan Houseman provided quality shot stopping.

With KBUT DJ Rob Carney’s show (good to have Rob on the radio Sunday evenings) playing over the speakers at Big Mine Ice Arena and sheet of ice provided by the diligent efforts of the rink crew of Marty McGrane, Ashton Mabry, Ethan Johnson, Bryan Dillon, Jack Morgan, Tom Cavini, Tom Frampton, Dylan Bova and Sam Kay the two teams opened the game at a pace that seemed unsustainable but proved otherwise.

CB Electrical went to work immediately to set up in REG’s defensive zone catching them a bit off guard. The initial surge paid off as Mark Goldberg, after helping to put on the annual Frozen Toes 3v3 Pond Hockey tournament all day Sunday, scored for CB Electrical in the opening minute of the game.

Slowly but surely REG started to find their feet and finally put together an attack that seemed worthy of tying the game. CB Electrical countered with additional attacks of their own as Hannah Valian broke loose to shoot only to be denied by Houseman.

The spark for REG eventually came from defenseman CJ Hoover. Hoover picked off a CB Electrical breakout pass at the blue line to skate through traffic and shoot. McMullen made the initial save but REG continued to hold the puck in CB Electrical defensive zone resulting in a goal from Jeremy Erickson off an assist by Dan Rosenberg.

Two minutes later REG skater and one of several Inglorious Batters on the REG team Bobby Crimi chased down a loose puck to skate to net. McMullan swiped the puck clear of harm’s way, but REG brought the house on Crimi’s effort and Mike Butcher set up Mollye Erickson for a goal and a 2-1 REG lead.

Sophie Klein and Robin Gross continued to bring pace and effort for REG throughout the period but CB Electrical remained devoted to defending their net and turned the tide back in their favor to end the first period but without a second goal.

The second period proved to be a back-and-forth battle with both Houseman and McMullan making critical saves. REG opened on the front foot with Klein firing shots and Gross and Jack Foersterling holding tough at the blue line, but they couldn’t crack the seal a third time.

CB Electrical would return the favor midway through the period as Clay Meier led a charge firing shots and still getting back on defense to break up REG attacks but they, too, couldn’t crack the seal and REG held onto their 2-1 lead heading into the third period.

Having come close numerous times in the second period, CB Electrical continued to push for the game-tying goal to open the third period. Kevin Van Horn came close to doing just that with a savvy tip in the slot early in the third, but Houseman pushed the puck wide. CB Electrical then caught REG in the midst of a line change for a three on one attack but that one was Foersterling, and he broke it up to keep REG out front 2-1.

CB Electrical would eventually pull their goalie with a minute left to play but thanks to the effort of Bronwyn Walton, REG was able to hold on through the final minute to seal the 2-1 win.