This week, the University of Colorado men’s and women’s hockey teams played a CSU-heavy schedule, both at home and away.
Men’s Hockey:
The men’s hockey team should know just about everything there is to know about CSU. The Buffs have now played CSU five times this year, which is close to 17% of their games. In those games, Colorado is 4-1.
Forward Jake Bauer and company looked quite comfortable against the Rams on Thursday, taking a 4-2 win at CSU. Bauer led the way with two goals, starting the scoring off with his first. Forward John Nitchen then added a goal of his own. With the score tied up at two-a-piece in the third period, forward Thomas Jarman scored the go-ahead goal. Bauer then put the final nail in the coffin with his second. Forward Matt Anders, right wing Kirk Van Arkel and defenders Mick Bruce and Erik Kardash all tallied assists. Goalie Alex Palumbo got the win, stopping 32 of CSU’s 34 shots.
Three days later, Colorado found themselves facing off against the Rams again, this time in a showdown at the Pepsi Center in Denver. It was more of the same, with Matt Anders racking up three points (1 goal, 2 assists) and Thomas Jarman posting a hat trick. Anders’ goal came in a four-goal first period for the Buffs. Forward Pierce Maty, Thomas Jarman and Jake Bauer all scored for Colorado before the end of the first twenty minutes.
The bleeding didn’t stop for CSU. John Nitchen and right wing Parker Dietz both scored in the second, giving CU a 6-1 lead. CSU’s Connor Tamai led an attempted comeback in the third period, but Thomas Jarman added two more goals of his own to put the final at 8-2, Colorado.
Defender John Dora, forward Elliot Polanchyck, defender Luc Neitenbach, and Matt Anders (2) had assists on the night. Colorado peppered CSU’s goal with a total of 34 shots, with Anders and Jarman combining for 17 shots of them. Alex Palumbo notched his second win of the week with 20 saves.
Colorado (13-14-2) will travel to Nebraska for a two-game set against Midland University on the 20th and 21st of February.
Women’s Hockey:
The women’s hockey team had trouble in their lone game of the week. On senior night, Colorado allowed a close game to slip away. Junior forward Madison Stevens, assisted by freshman defenseman Marisa Danos, tied the game up at 1-1 in the third period, only to see the Rams put in five unanswered goals before the game’s end. Junior goalie Sarah Mullen stopped 22/28 shots in the game.
League tournament play (Madison, Wisconsin) starts on February 20th for the Buffs (7-13-2).
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Cannon Casey at cannon.casey@colorado.edu.
