The Colorado Buffaloes division one men’s hockey team (22-17-0) lost a two-game series against the Colorado State Rams (15-17-0) in the Rocky Mountain Faceoff on Friday and Saturday.
The Buffs made the hour-long trip north to Fort Collins Friday night, only to go down 2-1 to a physical Rams team. Saturday night saw the black and gold return to Boulder, where they dropped a 3-1 game on senior night.
The Rocky Mountain Faceoff is the paramount matchup in the state of Colorado. Both fanbases traveled well to represent their teams in an electrifying fashion.
Physicality dominated night one in Fort Collins. Penalties plagued the Buffs, whose lines were tested early.
Halfway through the first period, Rams forward Riley Hunt-Bahn put his team on the board off a rebound in front of CU’s net.
The Buffs entered the locker room scoreless after 20 minutes of play, but not before Rapolas Marcinkevicius recorded a slashing penalty late in the period.
With Marcinkevicius still in the box to start the second, the Rams looked to capitalize on their power play. Forward Alex Latkovski tipped the puck right past Buffs goaltender Liam O’Gwen, expanding the lead to two.
Late in the second period, Cam Piggott fired a goal past Rams goaltender Cross North, preventing a shutout in the CSU’s home rink.
The Rams’ physicality got the better of them in the third period as they recorded six penalty minutes.
CU had a hot start but couldn’t hold its momentum for a full 60 minutes, unable to find an equalizer.
The Buffs returned to Boulder Saturday night to celebrate their nine graduating seniors. Supporters packed the stands for an emotional night honoring the black and gold’s incredible leaders.
Captain Drew McConaughy, alternates Jesse Kittay and Kaid Nieslanik, Alex Hartman, Blake Blevins, Cameron Bandoni, Liam O’Gwen, Quinten Kinney, and Roman Di Domizio were honored in at the pregame ceremony with their families in attendance.
The first period saw a tight defensive game as the Buffs and Rams battled for every loose puck. Physicality from the night before carried into game two of this storied series.
The second period opened with a goal from the Rams’ Christian Collins 13 seconds after the opening draw. Collins stole a loose puck deep in the Buffs’ zone and lifted a backhander over O’Gwen’s left shoulder into the top corner of the CU net.
O’Gwen felt relentless pressure throughout the night with CSU players physically challenging him in the crease.
The Buffs and Rams emerged from the locker room fuming for the final 20 minutes. Brodie Pearson restored hope for his Buffs team, firing a fadeaway wrist shot from the slot that found the back of the net.
Collins would respond 15 seconds later with a crisp deflection off a pass into the left corner for a Rams’ power play goal.
With time winding down, O’Gwen headed to his bench as the Buffs desperately tried to save their postseason chances. CSU’s Riley Hunt-Bahn sealed the game with a long, rink-length shot from his own zone on the Buffs’ empty net.
With hopes for the postseason behind them, the Buffs sat back and reflected on the season.
“It’s sad that we lost tonight, and I think our guys deserve better,” head coach Trace Jablin said. “But they battled all weekend long, and at the end of the day, that’s all you can ask for.”
The Buffaloes were proud of their effort this season. As the final buzzer sounded, reality set in for the seniors that their careers had come to an end on the final night of the season.
“It was a special group of guys this year,” O’Gwen said. “I’m sad that it’s over, but I’m so happy that it happened.”
Coach Jablin reflected upon the weight of this final game at the CU Rec Center. He was especially moved by how his senior squad played throughout their careers. Even though the seniors are leaving CU, a strong foundation remains. Their legacy will continue next season in the tradition of Colorado hockey.
“They’re leading the way with so much love and integrity and work ethic,” Jablin said. “All the freshmen are crying, and that’s a really good sign because we know we’ve built something really good here.”
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