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Steamboat Springs midget hockey teams returned to the ice during the weekend at Howelsen Ice Arena, where they hosted the Fort Collins Junior Eagles in minor and major games.

The Midget Minor 'A' team, made up of players ages 15 and 16, got off to a solid start during the weekend.

"It's a great start for our team," coach Bill Schwartz said. "We got off to kind of a slow start in both games but got stronger with each period."

After falling behind 2-0 in the first game Saturday, the Steamboat team rebounded to finish in a 3-3 tie.

"We had a lot of opportunities to put them away in the first game but just couldn't get the puck in the net," Schwartz said.

The team's best scoring chance came after Fort Collins iced the puck with 3.3 seconds remaining in the game.

Schwartz pulled goalkeeper Cole Verploeg, hoping an extra skater would provide the punch Steamboat needed to get the winning goal.

"I felt comfortable with the skaters we had on the ice, so I was pretty sure (Fort Collins) wasn't going to score," Schwartz said.

The gamble nearly paid off for the coach because his team put two shots on goal as time slipped away. But Steamboat couldn't find the back of the net.

Jim Terry's hat trick represented the Sailors offensive production for the game. Jake Stanford collected assists on all three goals, and Verploeg kept things close between the pipes.

On Sunday, Steamboat held off a late Eagles' rally to collect a 4-3 win against the visiting team. Steamboat built a 4-1 lead in the contest, but two goals by Fort Collins in the third period kept local fans on the edges of their seats.

"There were tons of penalties in this game," Schwartz said. "It was just a tightly called game."

Cam Fritz led Steamboat with two goals, and Stanford finished with one goal and two assists. Steamboat defender Bjorn Lickteig netted the other Steamboat goal on a strong slap shot from long distance. Elliot Girard was the winning goalkeeper.

Steamboat ended up playing most of the third period short-handed because of penalties. Fort Collins was able to capitalize to keep things close at the end.

Things didn't go quite as well for Steamboat's Midget Major team during the season-opening weekend.

The roster, made of players ages 17 and 18, was missing many of the team's top players who are playing football for Steamboat Springs High School. The team is expected to get stronger when the football season ends and several of the squad's more experienced players return to the ice.

The team lost to the Fort Collins Junior Eagles, 10-0, on Saturday and 8-0 Sunday morning.

The makeup of both teams is expected to change this month when high school tryouts are held. High school hockey coach Dave Strang will select players from both teams to make up his squad.

-- To reach John F. Russell, call 871-4209 or e-mail jrussell@steamboatpilot.com