Miners, Wranglers showdown set

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Scott Ludwig — Leave a comment

Pikes Peak Miners and Steamboat Wranglers met in the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League Finals last season and the two seem to be on a collision course again this year. They meet one last time in regular season action this weekend at Howelsen Arena.

Steamboat (25-7-0-1) have sat atop the league standings much of this season before a slip in mid-January saw the team drop two-of-three games. The Wranglers rebounded this past weekend sweeping a three-game series against the Breckenridge Bolts (10-17-0-5) who currently sit in third place.

Much of the offense came from Shawn Catudal who picked up nine points, scoring four goals in the three games. Catudal now leads the balanced Wranglers in points with 39 in 30 games played. He is one of 11 players who have at least 16 points. Goaltender Cole Kohut (19-2-0-0; 2.54 GAA, .910 save%) has been one of the best in the league all season

Defending league champion Pikes Peak (26-6-0-0) are coming into the matchup riding a 15-game win streak including a three-game sweep over the Colorado Thunderbirds last weekend. After a 7-5-0-0 start to the season Pikes Peak have lost just once, running into a hot goaltender (Declan Rooney of Breckenridge) in early December.

Pikes Peak have 12 players with at least 15 points including Ian Zaleski (30 goals, 30 assists) who leads all league scorers. Jacob May (52 points) and Brett Hawkins (51 points) make up a powerful trio. The Miners have also received a big boost from last season leading scorer Kole Mudra, who since returning to the team in December has scored 20 goals and 40 points in just 17 games.

The goaltender tandem of Joseph Chekan (13-4-0-0; 2.92 GAA, .915 save%) and Jimmy Grossklaus (11-2-0-0; 2.57 GAA, .953 save%) give the Miners confidence and opportunity to play their high paced offensive game that has been the heart of the program.