HIGHLANDS RANCH | The Valor Christian ice hockey team continues to hog a spot in the Class 5A state championship game and the Cherry Creek co-op team is the latest it denied a shot at the title.
The second-seeded Eagles moved into the state final for the fifth consecutive season with a 4-1 victory over the third-seeded Bruins in a gritty semifinal Saturday night at the South Suburban Sports Complex.
Coach Jeff Mielnicki’s Cherry Creek team got within a goal in the third period on a score by sophomore Owen Kulczewski (Grandview) before it yielded a late goal and an empty-netter to finish the season 12-5-4.
“I was proud of the kids, it was really a 2-1 game for most of the last period and we had a couple of good looks and ultimately couldn’t put the puck in the net,” Mielnicki said. “The kids battled the whole year and earned their position. …You want to be in a position where the games matter and they did for us all year.”
Valor Christian (17-2-1) earned a spot opposite top seeded Regis Jesuit (which defeated No. 4 Monarch, story here) in the 5A state championship game Tuesday at Magness Arena on the campus of the University of Denver. The teams are slated to drop the puck at 7:30 p.m.
After a scoreless first period — in which Cherry Creek had an advantage in shots on goal at 13-6 — Valor Christian took the lead with a pair of scores in the second period.
A little over two minutes in, Maddux Charles got denied by Cherry Creek goaltender Jack Ryan (Cherokee Trail), but got another chance seconds later and converted to break the scoreless tie. With just 3:54 remaining before the second intermission, Andrew Jenkins doubled the lead just after the Eagles killed off a Bruins power play chance.
“That’s the worst nightmare when you are only running one D on the power play and a forward gets stuck back there,” Mielnicki said.
Cherry Creek again went on the power play to end the second and it spilled over to begin the third, but came up empty. The Bruins would get on the scoreboard shortly thereafter, however, as Kulczewski finally got one past Valor Christian goalie Cooper Robinson, who made 31 saves.
The Bruins continued to press for the equalizer — and got good pressure during a power play chance, only to have shots by Eric Burggraf (Grandview) and Austin Katz turned aside by Robinson — but instead saw Jenkins score his second goal of the game with just 4:57 remaining.
Charles would add a second goal as well when he tallied with 3 seconds left as Ryan (21 saves) had left the ice for an extra attacker.
Despite the result, Mielnicki was pleased to see the game unfold in front of packed bleachers with standing room only at the end.
“This just shows that high school hockey is where every kid should be playing,” Mielnicki said. “There was a sold out arena here that watched some tremendous hockey. It’s great for the sport.”
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter/X: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2024 CLASS 5A STATE ICE HOCKEY SEMIFINALS
(2) VALOR CHRISTIAN 4, (3) CHERRY CREEK 1
Score by periods:
Cherry Creek 0 0 1 — 1
Valor Christian 0 2 2 — 4
SCORING
Second period: Valor Christian — Maddux Charles (Ronan Hirschfield, Daniel Galushko), 14:38; Valor Christian — Andrew Jenkins (Mark Ladwig Jr.), 3:54
Third period: Cherry Creek — Owen Kulczewski (Billy O’Grady), 16:20; Valor Christian — Jenkins (Brock Benson, Daniel Galushko), 4:57; Valor Christian — Charles (empty net), 0:03
Cherry Creek saves: Jack Ryan (24 shots on goal-21 saves). Valor Christian saves: Cooper Robinson (32 shots on goal-31 saves)