LITTLETON — Throughout the first half of the high school hockey season, Chatfield has rotated its goaltenders, hoping junior Matt Smith or sophomore Ryan Selten-reich would establish himself as the Chargers’ leader.
Seltenreich made a resounding claim to the job Wednesday.
Aided by fortuitous bounces on two power-play goals in the third period, Chatfield rallied behind Seltenreich’s 48-save effort in a 3-2 victory over Standley Lake in a nonconference matchup of Foothills Conference rivals. Chatfield’s victory ended the Gators’ eight-game winning streak.
“I saw the plays well, I saw good shots, and I got lucky a couple times too,” Selten-reich said. “I just got in a groove and saw the puck well.”
Goals by Kyle Wellborn and Tyler Russell gave Standley Lake (8-2) a 2-1 lead entering the third period. But the Chargers (8-2) began the final frame on the power play, and a long slap shot by Trevor Knoll zipped through the Gators defense to tie the game just seven seconds into the third.
While Seltenreich provided a flurry of highlight-reel saves, defenseman Drew Lovell put Chatfield ahead during another power-play chance minutes later when his shot from inside the blue line ricocheted off a Standley Lake defenseman and over the outstretched glove of Gators goaltender Tyler Goff.
Seltenreich preserved the lead with several stellar saves late and still kept his net clean when a Chatfield penalty gave the Gators a power-play with 1:33 remaining. After Standley Lake pulled Goff, Seltenreich weathered a 6-on-4 disadvantage over the final minute.
“The kid was in a zone tonight,” Chatfield coach Bradd Markusch said. “The pressure doesn’t get to him. He played a phenomenal game.”
Standley Lake 1 1 0 — 2
Chatfield 1 0 2 — 3
First period — C, Grush (Davis), 10:26; SL, Wellborn (Hicks), 12:45. Penalty — Gour, C (holding), 15:45.
Second period — SL, Russell (Bauer, Roach), 7:04. Penalties — Roach, SL (roughing), 4:16; Lynch, SL (kneeing), 4:39; Grush, C (Davis), 15:12.
Third period — C, Knoll (Grush) pp, :07; C, Lovell (Grush) pp, 7:10. Penalties — Bauer, SL (slashing), 6:23; Grush, C (tripping), 15:27.
Shots — Standley Lake 11-17-22 — 50; Chatfield 12-15-11 — 38. Saves — Standley Lake (Goff 35); Chatfield (Seltenreich 48). Power-play opportunities — Standley Lake 0-for-3; Chatfield 2-for-3.
