Arvada – Standley Lake goalie Josh Smith had a lot riding on Tuesday’s game against Ralston Valley.
Fresh off their first loss of the season, the short-handed Gators were charged with trying to stop the mighty Mustangs without eight teammates, lost either to injury or eligibility.
Although both schools are new to the hockey scene this season, proximity would suggest a rivalry should be in the making.
Throw in the fact that Smith plays on a club team with most of Ralston Valley’s top players, and you have yourself a showdown ready to simmer.
Thankfully for the Gators, Smith was stone cold. The netminder made 41 saves as the Gators rallied with two goals in the third period to earn a 2-2 overtime tie at the Apex Ice Center.
“On the other team, that’s my whole team out there,” Smith said of the Mustangs. “That’s my club team, so if we would have lost that game, I would was going to be getting a lot of crap for the rest of the season.”
The Mustangs (4-0-1), who began the season ranked No. 2 in The Denver Post/9News poll before knocking off No. 1 Cheyenne Mountain in their season opener, controlled most of the game behind goals from Mike Greene and Justin Hoffman.
But the Gators (2-1-1) suddenly found a lifeline with 10 minutes remaining when Jimmy Maier streaked down the center of the ice and beat goalie Adam Virkler. The Gators tied it four minutes later when the Mustangs failed to clear their zone and Adam Palinckx got a pass from Nick Geyer and stuffed the puck inside the right post.
“When they got that goal we knew that just gave them hope,” Greene said of Standley Lake’s first goal. “If we had got the goal, it would have been a whole different story. They’re a strong team.”
Greene nearly won the game in the eight-minute overtime when he flipped a shot off the crossbar with a little more than two minutes remaining.
The Mustangs buzzed Smith throughout the overtime frame, firing off 11 shots. Travis Battista had several chances at a loose puck just outside the net, Graham Smith’s shot over Smith right shoulder was shrugged aside and Ryan Bohlim’s deflection was turned away.
Trevor Landgraf had Standley Lake’s best shot in overtime but had his low shot kicked aside.
“This is definitely a win for us,” Smith said. “This is one of the best teams in the league and to come from behind on them is a big deal.”
Standley Lake 0 0 2 0 – 2
Ralston Valley 1 1 0 0 – 2
First period – RV: Greene (unassisted) 10:47. Penalties – Knutson, RV (slashing) 14:28; Sharp, SL (roughing) 12:24; Allen, RV (interference) 11:08; Hasse, RV (interference) 6:09; Hoffman, RV (high sticking) 1:21.
Second period – RV: Hoffman (Hasse, Allen) 7:10. Penalties – Brungardt, SL (interference) 14:50; Gordon, SL (roughing) 3:36; Pancoast, RV (roughing) 3:36; Greene, RV (roughing) :53; Neitenbach, SL (tripping) :32.
Third period – SL: Maier (Scott) 10:28; Palinckx (Geyer) 6:03. Penalties – Hoffman, RV (tripping) 9:36; Landgraf, SL (kneeing) 7:03; Greene, RV (high sticking) 7:03.
Overtime – None. Penalties – Reynolds, SL (cross check) 1:55; Bohlim, RV (roughing) :49; Greene, RV (roughing) :25.
Shots on goal – Standley Lake 5-5-12-3 – 25; Ralston Valley 5-16-11-11 – 43. Saves – Standley Lake (Smith) 4-15-11-11 41; Ralston Valley (Virkler) 5-5-10-3 23. Power-play opportunities – Standley Lake 0-for-6; Ralston Valley 0-for-5.
