Steamboat Pilot & Today

The Howelsen Ice Arena has been friendly to the Chix with Stix in recent games.

In its past three home games, Steamboat's top women's hockey team has gone 2-1, amassing a staggering total of 117 shots on goal.

The Chix defeated the Breckenridge Snowcats, 2-0, on Jan. 16 and beat the Colorado Synergy of North Denver, 3-1, on Friday but lost 1-2 to the same Synergy team Saturday.

All three games went well for the Chix, player Lee Cox said.

"We were able to execute some of the things we practiced," Cox said.

In Steamboat's most recent game, the loss to the Synergy, the team managed 37 shots on goal but only got one past the goalie in the second period. Sue Henderson, off an assist from Renee Dupre, scored the Chix's lone goal of the game.

The offense was much more efficient in Steamboat's 3-1 on Friday win. The Chix had 23 shots on goal and scored three times. All three scores came in the first period, including Dupre's first of two goals 14 minutes and 27 seconds into the first.

Val Dietrich notched the assist on Dupre's first goal, while Henderson recorded the assist on Dupre's second.

The final Chix goal came with 23 seconds left in the first period off a shot from Gretchen Van De Carr. The goal was unassisted. The Synergy's lone goal came in the third period, but Steamboat's goalie, Carol Vittore, turned away 15 of the 16 shots she faced.

In the Saturday loss, goalie KC Amon blocked 31 of the 33 shots she faced.

Cox said the Chix and the Synergy were evenly matched, which made for enjoyable games on both ends. The women's team from North Denver had won the B Division title in the Women's Association of Colorado Hockey the past two years and moved up to the A Division this season.

Steamboat picked up another win against a B Division team Jan. 16 at Howelsen Ice Arena, blanking the Snowcats, 2-0.

Amon turned away all nine shots she faced. Meanwhile, the Chix skaters totaled 57 shots on goal, scoring twice.

Lisa Owen got things started at the 12:42 mark in the first off passes from Cathy Wiedemer and Diane Dwire. Karen Post added the second score near the end of the first off a pass from teammate Jen Travis.