Creek’s varsity hockey team tied with Regis yesterday after a tense, high scoring second period and penalty shot in the third.

Despite scoring twice in rapid succession during the second period, Creek failed to score a winning point in the five minute overtime period. Senior center and right winger Ayden Schmidt (#17) scored a goal on a penalty shot due to slashing, bringing the final score to 3-3.

“There were a lot of thoughts going through my head [before the penalty shot]. There were a lot of Regis fans booing me and giving me a hard time,” Schmidt said. “I took a few deep breaths before I went and it all came together at the end.”

With Regis ranking above Creek in National, State, and Class 5A placements, Creek’s team and coaches all took the varsity score as an achievement, regardless of the tie.

“The kids played hard. The kids played really hard. They had a chance once Regis scored those two quick goals in the second period, a chance to fold over, but they came out strong in the third,” Head Coach Jeff Mielnicki said. “ [We] got back to playing good systems, back to playing structured hockey, and we ended up getting the tying goal on a penalty shot.”

Creek’s Junior Varsity Boys’ team also played Friday, beating Regis 2-1. Creek scored in the first period. In the third period, Regis, on a power play, pulled their goalie. With a 6-4 player advantage, they scored a goal with 40 seconds left in the third period, tying the game 1-1.

Senior center and right winger Finn McCarthy (#4) brought home the winning goal, scoring with just 30 seconds remaining in the game to make it 2-1.

“Thought we all played well, the effort was there, but we just finished it and put it home,” junior left winger Brady Sisto (#11) said.

Though it wasn’t a win, Mielnicki was still proud of how his team played. “It keeps us going because this is a playoff-type environment,” Mielnicki said. “You’re in an overtime game and anything can happen, so I think the learning experience for the players was tremendous.”

Schmidt, who played an electrifying game and scored the saving grace goal for varsity Creek, though the same. “I am very proud of the outcome,” Schmidt said. “It built a lot of character and just us fighting back from two one-goal deficits was amazing. I think the whole team played very well.”

Junior center Charlie Keating (#9) defends the puck against three Regis players in the second period. Throughout the corse of the junior varsity game, Creek players made continual shots at the goal, although most were blocked by a strong Regis defense.

Senior center and right winger Finn McCarthy (#4) scores the winning goal for the junior varsity team in the third period. McCarthy’s goal ended the junior varsity game with a score of 2-1 against Regis.

Just after Regis scored the first point of the varsity game during period one, bringing the score to 1-0 in their favor, Creek Senior goalie Ethan Barnard (#31) defends a second shot at the goal. Barnard caught the puck in his glove, saving a shot at the goal by Regis sophomore forward Parker Brinner (#18.)

Creek sophomore center and left winger Chandin Jenings (#19) defends against a Regis attacker.

In an effort to get the puck into the goal during the second period, a Creek player slides under Regis senior goalie Ryan Miller (#33,) knocking them both to the ground. Although this is uncommon in most hockey games, contact between players occored commonly around the goals, when the players were working hard to take a shot at the goal.

Creek players celebrate their second goal after a series of rapid fire goals in the second period. After the goals, Creek moved ahead of Regis 2-1.

Senior Creek goalie Ethan Barnard (#31) stands by the gate to rink, stoically awaiting the third period. In the third, Barnard would go on to make many saves that prevented a Regis win.

Senior center and right winger Ayden Schmidt (#17) returns to the bench after his goal on a penalty shot. Creek was awarded the penalty shot after a Regis player was penalized for slashing, where he swung his stick at a Creek player.

The Creek bench anxiously watches the end of the game. Throughout the game, Creek players were swapped in and out of the game, often before a puck drop or after a penalty.

Junior center and left winger Eric Burggraf (#8) fights for control with a Regis player during period three. Even in hockey, the rivalry between the two schools is strong.

See more photos from the games below.

This story won Second Place Photo Essay from CSMA.