5A hockey: Poudre School District and Cherry Creek set for title clash

COLORADO SPRINGS – Poudre School District learned early that playing with a lead is a lot more fun.

A year ago, the Stars needed two third-period goals to pull into a tie with Cherry Creek before netting a golden goal to reach the Class 5A hockey state championship game.

This time, first-period goals from Tristan Romero and Charles Wicklund allowed the Fort Collins area district team to relax a bit and settle into their game as they topped Regis Jesuit 3-1 in the first of two 5A semifinal games at Ed Robson Arena.

“We did come out slow in this game last year, but I think more so [this year] in the quarterfinals against Chaparral,” coach Riley Nelson said. “We didn’t come out with the energy we needed and that was a big key for us. We wanted to stay on our toes starting the game and defend our own zone and just keep the game as simple as we could.”

This marks the fourth appearance in the state hockey final for PSD. They played under the Fort Collins banner in 2020 and 2021, losing to Valor Christian in both attempts. They returned to the 5A title game last year as PSD, again falling to Valor Christian.

There is a fresh feeling of confidence with this team after going 16-2-1 in the regular season, but it refuses to take anything lightly as it tries to capture its first state title in program history.

“We all have a great connection,” Wicklund said. “We’re a bunch of seniors, we have a lot of experience and we just have to get it done.”

If Saturday’s semifinal win against Regis is any indication, the Stars will take a business-first mindset into Magness on Monday. They scored their two early goals on even strength, and outshot the Raiders 11-3 in the first period.

Each team had two power play chances through two periods, but both penalty kill groups were effective in limiting scoring opportunities.

A big difference was Poudre playing the third period with a high level of urgency.

“We wanted another one,” Nelson said. “We knew the next goal was going to be big no matter which way it came.”

A late scuffle resulted in a penalty on each side, but Regis’ Andrew Brennick was hit with a 5-minute major. During the 4-on-4, Beau Patton got the Raiders on the board, but Hayden Miller added another one for the Stars with under a minute left on the clock.

This experienced group of seniors heads back to Magness hoping to win a state title after leaving there a year ago learning a very painful lesson as summed up by Wicklund.

“Losing sucks.”

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Cherry Creek 3, Valor Christian 1

For the first time since the 2019 season, Valor Christian will not play for a state hockey championship. The run of six consecutive title game appearances for the Eagles came to an end at the hands of Cherry Creek, who left Ed Robson Arena with a 2-1 win.

The Bruins will take on Poudre School District at DU’s Magness Arena on Monday to try and win their first hockey title since 2015.

Will Rodney got the Bruins on the board less than six minutes into the game as he jammed a rebounded puck past Valor goalie Lucas Jordan.

Ari Gelfand made it a 2-0 game with 10:20 left in the second period before Bauer Bodhaine got the defending champions on the board before the second intermission.

While the Bruins employed a dump-and-chase plan in the third period, Valor had trouble establishing possession and getting quality scoring chances to tie the game.

A Mitch Solderholm-Hudson cross checking penalty gave the Eagles a power play with 7:45 left, but the Bruins killed of the penalty forcing the Eagles to try and force their chances in the final minutes.

Gelfand sealed the game with an empty-netter with 1:15 left on the clock.

The Bruins will take on Poudre School District at 7:30 p.m. on Monday.