Panther girls’ hockey team faces first weeks on the road

Home games January 24-25

Crested Butte Panther girls’ hockey teams had a very hectic start to the 2008-2009 season. Crested Butte was on the road early this year visiting Durango, Aspen (twice), Santa Fe and Gunnison.

The Panther’s have three squads this year playing in the MSGHL U14 rec. and U12 leagues along with the U10/12 house team.
The U14 team is lead by captain Marissa Lambert and co-captains Cassidy Dodds and Ali Sunter. Morgan Osterling returns as goalkeeper and coach Tony Lambert will skate up players from the U12 team. This year the U14 have scrimmaged Durango, Santa Fe and the defending state champ, the Aspen Leafs. Crested Butte played hard and is looking toward league action.
The first league games for the U14 are Saturday and Sunday, January 24-25 here in Crested Butte against Colorado Select.
The U12 team had a very difficult start to their season, playing the top three teams in the league so far. After dropping their two games to Summit 1-4 1-3 and two more to Santa Fe 2-3 and 2-4 Crested Butte rebounded with a dramatic 1-0 victory over the undefeated and current state champs Aspen Leaf team.
Goalie Monika Olesen was brilliant in net and Hailey Pike notched a late third-period goal to shock Aspen in Aspen this past weekend. In the second game Aspen scored two third-period goals to beat Crested Butte 2-1.
Coach GJ Santelli noted that both U12 games against Aspen were well played hockey games. Santelli is very pleased with the play so far this season of the Panther defense, comprised of Marissa Osmundson, Maddie Lambert, Anika Kooiman and Bradley Santelli.
The first U12 home games will be against Colorado Select on January 24-25 here in Crested Butte.
The Panther house team  rocked Aspen’s U10/12 team over the weekend 6-0 and 5-0. Lauren Yehle and Izzie Dethloff recorded their first goals this year along with Elizabeth Stepanek and Kendl Santelli each recording hat tricks.
Monika Olesen notched both shutouts thanks to great defensive efforts from Lindsay Johnson, Miki Olesen, Ryan Carroll and Osmundson. Up next for the house team is an away match-up versus Telluride on January 17. Coach John Dethloff noted that the girls are playing with great intensity and hustle.
“That was the difference in both games,” said Dethloff.
Follow all Crested Butte Panther action on their web site www.crestedbuttepantherhockey.com and league action at MSGHL.com.