BROOMFIELD — The tears rolling down Steve Fillo’s face told the whole story.
Just six months removed from losing his son Stevie to a tragic car accident in Alabama, his second family — his Lewis-Palmer hockey team — help mend some wounds.
The Rangers delivered their coach a state title Saturday at the 1stBank Center, besting Ralston Valley 3-2 in overtime on Kyle Lee’s power-play goal.
“I’m reminded of him all the time with these 27 guys right here,” said a tearful Fillo, whose team wore a patch on the left shoulder in honor of the coach’s son. “They told me they were going to win a state championship for Stevie and they went out and they did it.”
Fate works in mysterious ways. When Stevie Fillo played for his dad he wore No. 11 — the Rangers (17-3-3) ended their championship run on an 11-game winning streak.
“Eleven in a row for No. 11,” Lewis-Palmer goalie Brent Schwarz said. “That’s what it boils down to.”
Schwarz, whom Fillo said “stole the game,” kept his team in it. The junior, whose team was outshot 35-11 stopped 33-of-35 shots he faced en route to winning The Denver Post’s MVP honors.
Ralston Valley (18-4-1) looked to have locked things up early in the third on Kyle Bennett’s power-play goal. Soon after, back-to-back Lewis-Palmer penalties put an already weary Rangers team (which played a late overtime game against Cheyenne Mountain in Friday’s semifinals) on the penalty kill.
The Mustangs came up empty and one last “adrenaline rush” saw Brandon Roseboro net the equalizer with 1:09 to play in regulation.
“They just kept fighting,” Ralston Valley coach Jon McKibbon said. “Steve’s a classy guy and runs a classy organization. I’m obviously disappointed we didn’t win, but somebody has to lose.”
In the overtime, the Rangers’ momentum carried over, and just seconds after Ralston Valley goalie Cody Buesser took a roughing penalty, Lee made him pay with the championship goal.
“I was coming to the net, and I see the puck sitting out there and everyone else was flying around looking for it and I picked it up,” Lee said. “I just managed to find the top of the net.”
MVP
Junior Brent Schwarz was brilliant in net for Lewis-Palmer, stopping 33-of-35 shots. One year after giving up seven goals in the title game to Regis Jesuit, Schwarz “stole the game,” according to coach Steve Fillo, and delivered the Rangers their first title.
Lewis-Palmer 0 1 1 1 — 3
Ralston Valley 0 1 1 0 — 2
First period — None. Penalties — Mize, RV (roughing), 5:46; Lee, LP (roughing), 11:29; Brame, LP (hooking), 14:15; Taylor, RV (high-sticking), 14:15.
Second period — 1, LP, Cronk (Lee, Brame), 4:35; 2, RV, Mit. Pijanowski (McGaughey), 5:03. Penalties — B. Roseboro, LP (tripping), 5:43; Marchese, RV (hooking), 8:30; Bennett, RV (roughing), 13:22.
Third period — 3, RV, Bennett (Mic. Pijanowski) 4:11 pp; 4, LP, B. Roseboro (unassisted), 13:51. Penalties — Bennett, RV (holding), :56; B. Roseboro, LP (holding), :56; Mikesell, RV (roughing), 2:39; Clark, LP (tripping), 4:03; B. Roseboro, LP (cross-checking), 5:33; Fisher, LP (roughing), 12:27; McGaughey, RV (fighting/major), 12:27; Lachener, LP (fighting/major), 12:27.
Overtime — 5, LP, Lee (unassisted), 2:21. Penalties — Buesser, RV (roughing), 2:17.
Shots on goal — Lewis-Palmer 1-4-3-3 — 11; Ralston Valley 11-12-10-2 — 35. Saves — Lewis-Palmer (Schwarz) 11-11-9-2 — 33; Ralston Valley (Buesser) 1-3-2-2 — 8. Power-play opportunities — Lewis-Palmer 1-for-3; Ralston Valley 1-for-4.
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
