Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to publish a Colorado State Weekly post last week or put together another episode of the BKR Hockey Show. There have been a couple developments in the Big Mountain Hockey Conference since the last Colorado State Weekly. The biggest development is that after this past weekend, CSU has dropped to fourth place as the CU Buffs have overtaken the Rams for third. Compounding the issue is that CU has three games this upcoming weekend, two of which will be against BMHC opponents. Meanwhile, the Rams have just one game against MSU-Denver. Anything can happen, but CU has an opportunity to further distance themselves from the Rams in the standings.
Recap – UNC
The Rams hit the road again to Greeley, CO for another match-up against the UNC Bears last Friday. As has become frustratingly common for CSU, the Rams battled to a 2-2 tie after one period. Unfortunately, they began to break down after that with no help from the officiating. The Bears pulled ahead 4-2 after the second period, before putting the game out of reach with four more goals in the third period, cruising to an 8-2 win.
Offensively, Derek Nead and Billy Bostwick found the scoresheet again with one goal each. Jackson Mullane, Zach Podlesh, Adam Anderson, and Spencer Smith all tallied helpers on the two CSU goals. Senior Ted Bunton got the start, posting 33 saves out of 39 shots before being relieved by backup Dylan Bak in the closing minutes of the game. Bak faced eight shots, turning away six in the final period for the Rams.
The Rams find themselves in a bit of a hole, and they’ll need to bring their best against the MSU-Denver Roadrunners this Friday at home. A couple of BMHC losses from the Buffs would also go a long way, and allow CSU to jump back in the #3 slot.
Preview – MSU-Denver
The Rams will most certainly need to get it together this Friday before taking on the Roadrunners at home in Fort Collins. CSU has struggled greatly against the top two teams in the BMHC despite keeping things close early on. The Rams will have to figure out a way to play a complete 60-minute game in order to squeeze out a much-needed win.
The Roadrunners have maintained an explosive offense through 17 games this season, amassing 136 goals for and a mere 37 goals against. Forwards Daniel Dvorak (41 points), Austin Shea (31), and Zach Goberis (29) lead the way for MSU-Denver, with solid contributions from defensemen Ben Novy and Blaine Minatra, who have 17 points each. In goal, the Roadrunners have enjoyed outstanding goaltending from Eric Fedorco and Jake Larson. Fedorco currently sports a 1.16 GAA and .953 SV%, with Larson not far behind at 2.61 GAA and a .925 SV%.
For the Rams, Derek Nead and Liam Burns pace the attack with 14 points apiece. Adam Anderson barely trails with 10 points. CSU’s trio of goaltenders are averaging just under 4 GAA and a reasonable .831 SV%. A key factor in this game will be special teams. The Rams’ penalty kill unit sits at 82.4% (226th in ACHA D2), while the Roadrunners’ powerplay clocks in at 37th with a 29.5%. CSU needs to maintain discipline throughout the game in order to limit MSU-Denver’s chances with a man advantage.
The Rams need a win this weekend in order to maintain pace with CU, and a win over the #2 team in the BMHC will only help the team climb the ACHA Men’s D2 West rankings. The Rams and Roadrunners will face off at 7:30pm MT on Friday at the Edora Pool Ice Center (EPIC) in Fort Collins.
Go Rams!
Black Knights - Rams Hockey 