Steamboat hockey shuts out Pine Creek, 4-0
Steamboat Springs — A two-week break in the season did not seem to slow down the Steamboat Springs High School hockey team Friday night as it easily handled the Pine Creek Eagles.
“We were ready to play,” head coach Jeff Ruff said after the 4-0 victory. “The guys were ready for competition.”
The Sailors now have a 4-4 record and will head to Breckenridge Saturday to face off against Summit County at 4:45 p.m.
“We’re just hoping to build some momentum,” Ruff said. “We have a lot of conference games coming up. We need to put some conference points together to make it into the playoffs.”
The Sailors came out aggressively Friday night and would end up taking 54 total shots to Pine Creek’s 14 throughout the game. Steamboat hit the post four times and missed three wide-open opportunities.
Two of the shots made it into the net in the first period. Senior Jace Worden scored first, and his goal was quickly answered by Worden’s senior teammate Lance Ostrom.
The Sailors played more aggressively in the second period and got into some penalty trouble. The Eagles, though, failed to capitalize on what was at one time a two-man advantage.
Ruff said that he thought the aggressive play wore down the Eagles and that Steamboat was able to pick up two more goals from sophomore Ben Wharton in the final period. The goals were Wharton’s first of the season.
“I had a good feeling about this game coming in,” Wharton said. “I missed so many opportunities this year, and finally I just got one in.”
Wharton said that the two third-period goals boosted his confidence and that he hopes it stays with him through the rest of the season.
To reach Matt Stensland, call 970-871-4247 or email mstensland@SteamboatToday.com
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