In its first season as a CHSAA program, Chaparral had done well to advance to the Frozen Four for a crack at top-seeded, undefeated Regis Jesuit.
And for one period Thursday night at the Pepsi Center, the Wolverines demonstrated the grit and overall buy-in that had gotten Parker’s team this far in the tournament, as the Raiders only led 2-1 leading into the break.
But Regis Jesuit — which has won four titles overall — advanced to its third straight championship game thanks to a blitzkrieg second in which the Raiders scored 16 seconds into the period, and then three more times in the frame, en route to a 7-1 blowout win.
“The first period, Chap played us really tough, but that first shift of the second, we scored two goals,” Regis Jesuit senior captain Shane Ott said. “That line — Kale Lone, Connor Kilkenny and Anders Erickson — is full of really strong players, and they tend to get things going for us. From there on, our team was up and at ’em, because that jump-started us.”
Kilkenny got the Raiders on the board to start the game, putting home a power play goal midway through the first. But No. 13 Chaparral responded with a power play goal of its own, as Dorian Perrett had the equalizer for a Wolverines squad that upset No. 4 Fort Collins in the quarterfinals.
But less than a minute later, Regis Jesuit retook the lead, this time thanks to Lone. Even with Lone’s goal, there was a sense the underdog Wolverines could make a game of it, if only they could hold off a Raiders’ offensive avalanche.
That didn’t happen.
It was Kilkenny who added his second goal of the game shortly into the second, followed by lamp-lighters by Justin Lico, Nicholas Schultz and Ott to make it 6-1 heading into the third.
From there, goalie Max Harlan and the Raiders’ defense did not budge, shutting out the Wolverines for the remainder of the game while Sergio Padilla added a final goal with under three minutes to play to increase the lead.
“We locked it down in the third period and were able to stem a lot of their pressure,” Ott said. “Our defense is superb and one of the best in the league, I think. It’s great to see us play well on offense and defense, and come out with a win.”
The Raiders (20-0) take on the winner of Monarch versus Valor Christian in the championship Tuesday, also at the Pepsi Center, while the Wolverines finish 13-6-1.
And judging by the last couple seasons — Monarch upset favored Regis Jesuit in the title game at Magness Arena last year, and the Raiders in the championship the year before — coach Dan Woodley’s crew knows nothing is guaranteed.
“Playing undefeated is hard, because you have a target on your back all the way through the season,” Ott said. “And what I’ve learned from the past is that it doesn’t matter if you’re undefeated — if it gets to that championship, you’ve got to bring your A game.”
