The Denver Invaders of 1964. The Denver Spurs circa 1972.
Hockey aficionados can appreciate the blast from the past. The short-lived Western Hockey League’s two stops in Denver were the last time the Denver Coliseum had a hockey sheet worth noting.
All that changes on Friday and Saturday when the Coliseum rolls out the red carpet for Colorado’s high school Frozen Four.
“Ice is ice,” said Ralston Valley coach John McKibbon, whose first-year Mustangs, along with Cheyenne Mountain, Aspen and Air Academy, will all get practice sessions at the rink. “The guys just have to go out there and get used to the surroundings, the boards and find out how the puck reacts.”
Said Air Academy coach Dave Meisinger: “We didn’t practice at the World Arena two years ago when we made it and that hurt us. The practice time takes the ‘wow factor’ out of the equation, so it’s not all so new.”
Meisinger and the Kadets have been wowing people all year.
Little was expected out of Air Academy coming into the season, but behind the goal-scoring duo of Brandon Williams and Taylor Henricks, the Kadets (16-2-2) not only will be competitive, but have a legitimate chance at winning it all.
“We knew we had talented kids,” said Meisinger, who took over for longtime coach Wayne Marshall two seasons ago after the Kadets won it all. “We just didn’t know how they would react or respond.”
Air Academy, with all of its tradition, understandably got everyone’s best game, and it responded accordingly. It won nine of its 11 one-goal games and went to overtime seven times.
The X factor in the playoffs remains goaltending, and the Kadets are in good shape between the pipes. Charlie Ruzkowski has been tough down the stretch of the regular season, but in case he falters, Tyler Lopez, who was in net for the Kadets in 2005, is on the bench.
“We’ve been outshot in 60 to 70 percent of our games, and those guys have given us a chance,” Meisinger said. “We just seem to hang around, and get that critical goal when we need it. We always seem to be just one goal better than the other team.”
Their semifinal opponents from Aspen (15-3-2) are an unfamiliar 2006-07 foe, but a lot of the names remain the same from a talented group of Skiers. Ryder Fyrwald, Nicky Anastas, Tyler Moore and Matt Butler are just a few of Aspen’s offensive weapons.
Top-seeded Ralston Valley (16-1-2) faces a rematch with Cheyenne Mountain (15-3-2). The Mustangs squandered a late two-goal lead in the first game of the season to the Indians, but came back to win in overtime on an Al Bohlim goal.
“To a man, we feel like we belong, and that is our motivation,” McKibbon said. “(Cheyenne Mountain) is a great opponent for us on this stage.”
If any team can match the depth of Ralston Valley, it’s Cheyenne Mountain. The Indians, under four-time state champion coach Mike Provenzano, are back in the Frozen Four for the 32nd consecutive year and after the school’s 15th state title.
Reigning All-Colorado player of the year Alex Lofthus is the spark that makes the Indians go. Lofthus scored both of the Indians’ third-period goals against Ralston Valley in December. Freshman Matt Tritsch, the Royce brothers Jeff and Steven, and Matt Lee are all also capable goal-scorers.
