AURORA | Another Frozen Four, another matchup with rival Valor Christian for the Regis Jesuit ice hockey team.
The Colorado High School Activities Association released the Class 5A state ice hockey playoff bracket — made up of just four teams this season due to the coronavirus pandemic — and the 12-1 Metro League champion Raiders were included.
Coach Dan Woodley’s Regis Jesuit team enters as the second seed and faces off with third-seeded Valor Christian (10-2) at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, following a 5:30 p.m. semifinal between No. 1 Fort Collins (9-0) and No. 4 Chaparral (11-1-1).
The semifinal winners move on to an 8:30 p.m. championship matchup Thursday on the same ice. The CHSAA announced each team will be allowed 100 spectators for each game and masks will be required.
Regis Jesuit defeated Valor Christian 3-0 on Feb. 5 in its only game against a team outside of the Metro League on goals by Robbie Dembeck, Andrew Gleason and Sean Holloway and an 18-save shutout for goalie Gage Bussey.
The same four teams made up last season’s Frozen Four as well with the same semifinal matchups as Valor Christian defeated Regis Jesuit in the semifinals and then Fort Collins in the championship game.
Regis Jesuit, Valor Christian and Chaparral have made up three-quarters of the Frozen Four for four straight seasons.
Courtney Oakes is Sentinel Colorado Sports Editor. Reach him at sports@sentinelcolorado.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. IG: Sentinel Prep Sports
2021 CLASS 5A STATE ICE HOCKEY PLAYOFFS
March 16 at Budweiser Events Center
Semifinal: No. 4 Chaparral (11-1-1) vs. No. 1 Fort Collins (9-0-0), 5:30 p.m.
Semifinal: No. 3 Valor Christian (10-2-0) vs. NO. 2 REGIS JESUIT (12-1-0), 8:30 p.m.
March 18 at Budweiser Events Center
Championship: Semifinal winners, 8:30 p.m.