CENTENNIAL — Some ties are good. Some ties are bad.
Friday night’s 4-4 draw between Ralston Valley and Regis at Family Sports Center’s Hamilton Rink seemed fitting.
“We knew this was going to be everything it was anticipated to be,” Ralston Valley coach John McKibbon said. “We were on the bus on the way down, and my staff and I were talking that there was a high probability that this could be a tie.”
The tie ruins Regis’ bid for perfection and puts the Raiders at 11-0-1 overall and 4-0-1 in Foothills league play. Ralston Valley goes to 11-1-1, 5-0-1.
In a game that had a little bit of everything — from power- play goals to short-handed goals and even a rare penalty shot — the momentum swung early to the visiting Mustangs.
Ralston Valley’s Marshall Hoover, who would later miss the aforementioned penalty shot, hit Graham Smith with a brilliant head-man pass that sprung a breakaway opportunity. Smith beat goaltender Nick Cunningham just 38 seconds into the game.
Ralston could have gone to the first-period intermission up 3-1, but a delay-of-game penalty on goalie Adam Lucas put the Raiders on the power play, and, with just nine seconds to play, Justin Johnston scored to make it 3-2 after 15 minutes.
“We didn’t play our best game,” Regis center Connor Hayes said. “But I think it shows a lot about the character of this team, not to get down and come back and work for the tie.”
Raiders backup goalie John Schubert came in after Ralston Valley scored its fourth goal — in the second period — and stopped all 12 shots he faced.
Johnston’s second goal, the only scoring in the third period, tied the game at 4-4.
Ralston Valley 3 1 0 0 — 4
Regis 2 1 1 0 — 4
First period — RV: Smith (Hoover), :38; Reg: Hayes (Rawley), 3:32; RV: Marcovich (Smith, Newman), 8:57; RV: Graf (Newman) 14:21 sh; Reg: Johnston (Hayes) 14:51 pp. Penalties — Graf, RV (slashing), 5:56; Miller, Reg (slashing), 7:59; Mohr, Reg (slashing), 9:20; Lucas, RV (delay of game), 13:12.
Second period — Reg: Lloyd (Fioretto) 5:12 sh; RV: Newman (unassisted) 6:52 sh. Penalties — Branson, Reg (slashing/penalty shot), 3:02; Bennett, RV (slashing), 3:08; Stack, Reg (high sticking), 4:40; Spinder, RV (abuse of officials misconduct), 5:37; Marcovich, RV (tripping), 6:19; Yslas, Reg (roughing) 10:09; Graf, RV (boarding), 10:59; Greene, RV (high sticking), 14:43.
Third period — Reg: Johnston (Hayes) 1:20 pp. Penalties — Rawley, Reg (roughing), 1:49; Hoover, RV (slashing), 1:49; N. Davis, Reg (unsportsmanlike conduct), 5:27; Spinder, RV (hooking), 5:27; Ottenbreit, Reg (tripping), 5:44; Graf, RV (slashing), 7:13; Newman, RV (slashing).
Overtime — None. Penalties — Ottenbreit, Reg (slashing), :40; Ottenbreit, Reg (interference), 3:41; Newman, RV (hooking), 4:51.
Shots on goal — Ralston Valley 4-5-8-3 — 20; Regis 8-15-10-2 — 35. Saves — Ralston Valley (Lucas) 6-14-9-2 — 31; Regis (Cunningham, 21 mins.) 1-3-0-0 — 4, (Schubert, 31 mins.) 0-1-8-3 — 12. Power-play opportunities — Ralston Valley 1-for-7; Regis 2-for-10.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
