More photos. (Audra Cathy/CHSAANow.com)
LOVELAND — Monarch entered Saturday’s hockey state championship game at the Budweiser Events Center against Regis Jesuit with an unblemished 21-0 record.
The Coyotes had scored 202 goals, only surrendering 17, and rolled Heritage, Dakota Ridge, and Ralston Valley by a combined 20-4 tally in the state tournament. After losing in three consecutive hockey finals, Monarch seemed a team of destiny and boasted the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Even Regis Jesuit coach Dan Woodley had said the Coyotes were perhaps one of the best teams in Colorado history.
But, Regis’ inspired defensive play, physical brand of hockey, and crisp shot-making allowed the Raiders to seal a fourth state championship with a 6-1 finals victory over Monarch, giving the Coyotes their first loss of the season.
After a goal 13 seconds in by Monarch forward Adam Tybor, the Raiders (22-1) dominated the rest of the way with goals by Cale Woodley and Jack Jordan (penalty shot) in the first, a slapshot by Kyle Nelson and a score by Jack Kilkenny in the second, and a dagger goal by Eamon Duffy during a Monarch power play in the third.
Regis, whose lone loss on the season was a 3-0 setback on Feb. 6 to Monarch, tallied their final goal with 6:40 remaining, the game well out of reach, when Rowan Barnes converted a power play opportunity.
The Coyotes hadn’t given up more than two goals in any game this season. Regis flooded the net with six, but the way the Raiders also stymied a Monarch offensive attack that had yet to score less than three goals in any contest, keyed such a dominant effort.
“The boys in front of me did an unreal job making sure they kept the shots outside,” Regis senior goalie Sam Gartner said. “It was the whole team in front of me that did all the work.”
Regis was the more physical team throughout, setting the tone with an unrelenting defense. They fought back from an early deficit and exorcised some demons in the process, taking out a team that had ended their season in the Frozen 4 three years in a row.
“I’m real sentimental about Monarch,” Woodley said. “I love those guys, the coach is a wonderful coach, and there are guys on the team that I’m extremely fond of. We felt that they had manhandled us during the season.
More photos. (Ray Chen/ArrayPhoto.com)
“We also felt they had the better team, but we had something to prove. We were so tight and then to give up a shocking goal. To give up a goal in 14 seconds, that could have been the coronation of Monarch winning the state title. Instead, our guys battled back.”
Added Gartner: “We powered back, showed a lot of character, and now we’re state champions.”
The Raiders also defeated Mountain Vista, Steamboat Springs and Cheyenne Mountain during their playoff run. Regis, who also won in 2012, 2009, and 2008, is now tied with Cherry Creek for the second-most state championships in hockey with four. Cheyenne Mountain has won 14.
As for Monarch, another deep tournament run ends in the final game after losing to Ralston Valley in 2013 and 2014 and Cherry Creek in 2015.
“Regis is an unbelievable hockey team,” Monarch coach Jimmy Dexter said. “Today they had a little more jump than we did. We looked a little flat and they were flying. It was a great season. Great group of kids and we had so much fun this year.”