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Bantam B Black Wins CCYHL President's Division Championship

By Staff, 02/29/16, 9:00AM MST

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Backed by goaltender Marc Godec’s impressive 17 save performance, the BT B Black Tigers completed an impressive 3 game run to the CCYHL President’s Division Playoff Championship with a 4-1 win over crosstown rival Colorado Rampage on Sunday.

The playoffs started with what will likely be the Tigers most memorable game of the season, a 2-1 triple overtime win over the DU Pioneers.  Ben Skifstad was the OT hero, firing home the game winning goal after 27 minutes of intense, sudden death hockey. Travis Taylor’s tenacious forechecking set up the OT winner and goalie Jon Swanson was spectacular in goal with 26 stops. The Tigers fell behind in the 1st period but tied up the game early in the 3rd with a goal from Tyler Alldredge, assisted by linemates Logan Matheny and Daniel Vujcich. From there the Tiger defense, led by Josh Mongeau, Nik Reddecliff and Josh Clyncke helped ensure that DU would not score again.

On Saturday, the Tigers defeated Hyland Hills in another 2-1 game to advance to the finals. After a scoreless 1st period, the Tigers opened the scoring when defenseman Abbey Kelleher fired a puck towards the net that Austin Vatland batted home. Matheny also assisted on the play. Just 4 minutes later, Alldredge took a pass from Lou Levy and made a series of slick moves through the slot before burying a shot in to the back of the net. Hyland Hills scored with 44 seconds left to tighten things up but Godec made the last of his 17 saves to preserve the win.

Sunday’s championship game was the Tigers 4th meeting of the season with the Rampage and ultimately was the Tigers 1st victory over their neighbors on the north end of town. The Tigers opened the scoring 3 minutes in to the game when Matheny cashed in a rebound of a Hunter Elwell shot on goal. The score remained 1-0 until late in the 2nd period when the Tigers struck for 2 huge goals. Josh Mongeau fired a puck towards the net and Lou Levy took care of business. Levy picked up the puck, faked a pass to the slot and then tucked the puck past a surprised Rampage goalie for the power play goal. The Tigers then went back on a power play and after some great work along the boards by Vatland and Kelleher, Vujcich fired a puck through traffic and in to the goal for a crucial goal with just 1 second remaining in the period.

The Rampage pressed hard in the 3rd and managed to get on the board when a puck inadvertently deflected in behind Godec. The Tigers quickly restored their 3 goal lead when defenseman Cody Wilson made an outstanding individual rush up the ice and poked in his own rebound to make the score 4-1. From there, center Luca Melnyk led a tremendous defensive effort to bring home the championship.

The Tigers, coached by Dave Mongeau, Nate Clyncke and Pat Kelleher, managed to win the title despite the absence of forward Aubrey Woods. The Tigers hope to have Woods back in the lineup when they open up the CAHA State Championship tournament on Friday.