Titans hockey season ends in first round of state to Bookworms

“I’m so proud of the guys and the season they had”

By Than Acuff

The Crested Butte Titans hockey season came to an end as they fell to Colorado Springs District 11 Bookworms in overtime on Friday, February 20 in the first round of the 4A state tournament. The Bookworms were a relatively unknown team to the Titans but what they found was different than what they’d seen.

“We saw them play against Liberty a week before and it was a different team than we saw, they came to play,” says coach Paul O’Connor.

The Bookworms opened the first period with heavy puck pressure against the Titans and broke up several breakout attempts in neutral ice to keep the pressure on.

Goalie Ryder Church did what he has done all season coming up with big saves early allowing the team to get their skates underneath them, and the Titans started to gather some steam seven minutes into the game with a big effort coming from Kaiden Bartelli and the line of Ezra Paden, Zander Zacher and Charlie Reamer.

Meanwhile, the Titans senior line of Emery White, Luke Hartigan and Max Dukeman were in the midst of a toe-to-toe battle with the Bookworms top line but as the period continued, the Titans built on their momentum for a surge in the final three minutes of the period and the two teams finished the period tied 0-0.

“It took a little bit of time for us to respond to that intensity, but we ended up settling in and playing our game,” says senior captain Luke Hartigan.

A Titans penalty two minutes into the second period had the Bookworms on a powerplay but the Titans penalty kill has been outstanding all season long and rather than absorb and hold on, the Titans created a couple short-handed scoring opportunities and killed off the penalty.

Jonah Zobs came up with a huge effort to stop a Bookworms two-on-one five minutes into the second period, but a subsequent faceoff in the Titans zone resulted in a Bookworms goal and a 1-0 lead.

Crested Butte got their chances on their own powerplay a minute later but couldn’t find the back of the net to equalize. The equalizer would eventually come though as Zobs carried the puck deep into the Bookworms zone and fed it into the high slot. Paden pinched in off the blue line to get the puck, was immediately double teamed, but the puck squirted loose to Zacher, and he turned to fire his shot top shelf tying the game 1-1.

“That was incredible,” says O’Connor. “He’s always had a great shot and it was great to see him get one.”

Unfortunately, the Bookworms responded a minute later as they took a 2-1 lead into the third period, but the Titans are a third period team, and they did again. Thirty seconds into the third White took the puck from behind the Titans’ net and blew past two Bookworm players to score tying the game again 2-2.

“They really learned how to come back, and they did it twice,” says O’Connor. “That goal was a huge tone-setter for the third period.”

Four minutes later the Titans were back on the powerplay and this time they capitalized as Ethan Suazo skated into the high slot to score for a 3-2 Titans’ lead.

“In the second and third period we were grinding and giving everything we had,” says Hartigan. “We came back and took the lead which I was very proud of.”

Church continued to come up with numerous saves and the Titans had their chances, but the Bookworms would eventually tie the game on a powerplay, and the game was headed to overtime.

“The message before overtime was simple,” says O’Connor. “We’ve been here before, let’s flip the script and come out on the positive end. Believe you can do it.”

Six minutes in, the puck squirted free with a Bookworm chasing it to the Titans goal, but Church came off his line to swipe it clear, and the Bookworm player ran into him resulting in a penalty.

“That’s a play Bob Piccaro (coach) had us practice and I have to give Ryder credit for his decision,” says O’Connor.

The Titans generated some chances on the ensuing powerplay, but shots were stuffed and with just 36 seconds left, the Bookworms got their chance and used it to score ending the game. Church finished the game with 28 saves.

“Ryder was top notch and allowed us to be in a lot of games including this one,” says O’Connor. “We were on the front foot and had our chances, unfortunately the shots didn’t go in and theirs did.”

O’Connor sees the season as a massive success as they reached a preseason goal and, more importantly, achieved a positive culture in the program.

“Playoffs was the goal, and we made it,” says O’Connor. “I’m so proud of the guys and the season they had. We insisted upon change, making it positive, and that was the tone we set, and the seniors helped carry that tone all season.”

“From when we started dryland in July to the very last game in February was an incredible experience,” adds Hartigan. “I want to thank all of my teammates for making this year so memorable and special. And thank the coaches for doing such a great job leading us and being role models. It was the best four years of my life, and this year was extremely special.”