The Fort Collins hockey team defeated the Mountain Vista Golden Eagles 3-2 in double overtime during the opening round of the 2022 playoffs.

The Lambkins started the game on shaky ground, as Mountain Vista outpaced them through the first 30 minutes, leading 2-0. During the early portion of the game, Collins was getting a plethora of opportunities, but unable to capitalize.

However, that would change shortly after the Eagles’ second goal, as Fossil senior, Trenton Dobson, opened the scoring for his team. Despite taking a penalty shortly after, Fort Collins kept their momentum rolling, as Tyler Sledz scored a shorthanded goal to tie the game.

“We had a couple unlucky ones to start…we kept fighting through a lot of adversity…but we were able to fight back,” said defensemen, Trae Campbell.

Campbell, and the rest of Collins’ defense, began to tighten down, as neither team scored during the third or the first overtime. As the game began to feel aimless late in the second overtime, the complexion changed as a Mountain Vista player ran into goaltender, Noah Winbourn. Senior leader, Tristian Olick, took exception to this hit, retaliating with a hit of his own. 

“I didn’t really get a good look at what happened, but if he touched our goalie he’s [Olick] gonna go for him,” Campbell said.

The intensity only increased as one of the Golden Eagles made contact with a referee during the scuffle, ejecting him from the game and giving Fort Collins a five minute power play.

The Lambkins were rejuvenated after this outburst as the previously mentioned Trae Campbell scored the game winning goal late into the second overtime. 

“It was a tough game…but we came through in the end. It was a long one but we got the win in the end,” Campbell said.

Fort Collins will play next on Tuesday, March 1 at the Magness Arena at Denver University, facing off against Regis Jesuit. The Lambkins are looking to avenge their 4-4 tie earlier in the year.

“We’re ready to go. We had a couple sloppy plays and they had a lot of goals [in the first matchup]. I think if we clean it up we can beat ‘em,” Campbell said.