The University of Colorado's No. 1 ranked club hockey team split a two-game series with rival Colorado State over the weekend.
On Friday, students, fans, and parents packed into the CU Ice Arena at the Student Recreation Center in hopes to see the No. 1 Buffs defeat the No. 4 Rams. Unfortunately, they would go home disappointed, losing by a score of 4-2.
The mood was considerably more upbeat on Saturday, when the Buffs skated all over the Rams, 7-3.
In the matchup with Colorado State on Friday, CSU grabbed the early lead when the Rams' Mike Saint scored with seven minutes remaining in the first period and Alex Jurhs scored a goal in the second period to give the Rams the 2-0 lead.
But with less than seven minutes to play in the second period, Colorado sophomore Sean Carpenter sent a slap-shot from the point that somehow found the back of the net to cut the Colorado State lead to one.
CSU's Nik Burge scored one minute and twenty-five seconds later to erase Carpenter's goal. Trailing 3-1 after the second intermission, the Buffs were in dire need for some intensity to get back in the game. They got it in the form of freshman Mark Viau who found an open puck in front of Rams' goaltender Brian Minor and tipped it past him to get the Buffs back into the game, 3-2.
CU would eventually allow another goal en route to a 4-2 defeat.
Colorado head coach Paul Sisson said it was not as if Colorado was without opportunity. Colorado State took five more penalties than the Buffs, including five penalties in the first period and six penalties in the second. Also, Colorado had two five-on-three's that they couldn't capitalize on.
"There's only so much you can do as a team. We had two bad bounces toward our end that turned into breakaway goals for them. We get one of those bounces our way, we win that game," Sisson said.
Saturday's game started a lot like Friday's, with Colorado State grabbing the lead early when Jared Hillier got the puck past CU goalie Kevin Litinsky for the early 1-0 lead half way through the period.
CU senior captain Chad Wetzel scored for the Buffs late in the first period to tie the game at one apiece going into the first intermission.
The Rams added a goal in the second period but the Buffaloes came out of the locker room fired up for the third period and ready to take back the lead.
They wouldn't have to wait long.
CU's Sean Carpenter scored 55 seconds into the period to tie the game at two, and 1:35 later sophomore Max Myers found the back of the net as well to give the Buffs the lead. Colorado freshman Conor Williams' goal at 14:51 gave CU a two goal lead and some insurance.
Williams also added two assists and currently leads the team in goals with 21, assists with 24 and points with 45.
The Rams relentlessly tried to get back in the game. After Jason Vaughn put the puck past Litinsky with less than 10 minutes remaining, CSU was within one goal of tying the score.
But, once again, CU would jump into the driver's seat and score three more times to end the 7-3 drubbing.
With the win the Buffs move to 25-4-3 and Colorado State moves to 19-8-2.
Both teams will have a crack at the second place Eastern Washington Eagles, as they travel to Boulder to take on CU on February 15, and then to Fort Collins on February 16 for Colorado State's season finale.
Colorado has only two games remaining. The game against Eastern Washington is on Senior Night, while a makeup game against Metro State will be played on February 16th. Both games are at home at the CU Student Recreation Center. The games are free to the public.