Colorado men’s D1 shears rival CSU, sweeps series

Colorado Buffaloes D1 hockey stomped the Colorado State Rams last weekend. (Photo by Kainoa Hiatt/Sko Buffs Sports)

For its final weekend series of the season, the Colorado Buffaloes men’s D1 hockey team dominated the Colorado State Rams in the Rocky Mountain Faceoff. The Buffs won their fourth straight game after beating the Rams 3-0 on Friday and 5-1 on Saturday,

After getting shut out in back-to-back games against the University of Mary in early January, Colorado’s offense has turned the corner. CU has scored three or more goals in five of its last six games. Last weekend, the Buffs combined for eight goals from seven different scorers.

The offense was not the only highlight of the weekend, as CU’s goaltending tandem shone. On Friday night in his final start as a Buff, Matthew Server stopped 24 shots for CU’s only shutout of the season. 

Jared Packman followed up Server’s start with a shutout bid of his own, but had it spoiled in the third. The late goal did not sour his spirits.

“Everyone on our team fought for it. There was a lot of heart,” Packman said. “Obviously, there’s a big rivalry with CSU and CU, and everyone just brought their game. It’s a big deal every time we play them.”

Game 1: Colorado 3-0

The Buffs took the trip up to Fort Collins ready to ruin the Rams’ senior night at Edora Pool Ice Center. After the ceremony, the Buffs went right to work.

CU was all over the Rams’ defense early. The Buffs spent the majority of the first period in the offensive zone, but they could not beat CSU goaltender Ethan Blackburn. 

Blackburn continued to stonewall the Buffs’ offense in the back half of the period until chaos erupted. During a battle along the boards, one of the doors around the rink jimmied open. Both teams continued to play when a wrister from Jake Carnie was tipped in by Curren Stukey.

The Rams tried to argue, but the goal stood, and CU took the lead.

CU continued to control the game, creating chances in the offensive zone. With 4:30 to go in the first, CU forward Nick Hartek picked up a loose puck and went coast to coast, blowing by CSU defenders. As Hartek cut into the bottom of the right circle, he fired one by the glove of Blackburn to increase the lead to two.

The Buffs did not let up there, breaking down the Rams’ defense in the final minute of the period. 

CSU was about to make it out of the first down by two, but forward Brodie Pearson had other plans. Pearson went on a breakaway and fooled Blackburn for an easy backhander over his right pad with 12 seconds left.

After a strong, confidence-building first, the Buffs not only held onto their lead, they also smothered CSU’s offense. In its own end, CU defenders were laying out their bodies to block shots while Server continued to shut the door. 

The combination of strong defending and goaltending and the inability to beat Blackburn for a fourth time led to a stalemate. Even on a six-on-three empty-net power play with time winding down in the third, the Rams could not solve Server.

Frustrated and sorrowful, Ram fans and players had to exit the Ice Center after being shut out on senior night.

Game 2: Colorado 5-1

CSU took the trip down to Boulder with hopes of revenge for the embarrassment at home the night before. Colorado came into the game ready to pick up right where they left off.

Just like the night before, the first 10 minutes of the game went by with no goals. But this time the teams were rather equal in chances, with CSU outshooting CU 6-5.

With a full, restless crowd, the Buffs began to turn up their intensity. Quick passes in the offensive zone began to give CU the edge in shots on net. 

After CSU goaltender Chamberlain Nocera mishandled a wrister from the blue line, forward Logan Behrje picked it up and gave CU another early lead. The Buffs kept rolling as less than 45 seconds later, Douglas Wood swooped up another Nocera rebound and put the Buffs up by two with 5:40 to go.

Packman held his own in net to start the game, turning away the Rams’ eight shots in the first. The frustration of being shut out for 80 minutes straight began to bubble over. 

When the buzzer sounded at the end of the first, Rams and Buffs began to grapple each other at center ice. 

The second began, and both teams were down a player after the extracurriculars. Forward Cam Piggott used the extra space on a breakaway, but Nocera poked it off his stick. Right behind him was Jake Rosolanko, who buried the loose puck.

CU commanded the rest of the period, as CSU only had five shots on Packman in the second. 

Meanwhile, the Buffs scored two more goals as Pearson slid a perfect pass behind the cage to Luc Masse for a one-timer. For the Buffs fifth goal, Stuekey came in on a breakaway on the power play that he tucked past Nocera.

In the third, CU continued to dictate the pace, as it spent the majority of the time in the offensive zone. 

CSU finally managed to generate some offensive pressure with 10 minutes to go, and on its 19th shot, put one past Packman.

The comeback fell well short, and the Buffs won their third straight game against CSU. In the season series, CU won four of five games against its in-state rival.

The Rocky Mountain Showdown sweep finished the Buffs’ season with a final record of 11-16-1-1.