Stars hockey could just not manage to push past the first round of playoffs, repeating the actions of the boys basketball team who lost the same week, thus marking the end of both seasons.
In a home game, the Stars who had a record of 9-7-2 (nine wins, eight losses, and one tie) and ranked fifth in the state went against Heritage who had a record of 7-9-1 and ranked fourteenth in state. Yet this was not the only reason the Stars were favored to win.
The teams had gone against each other previously that season and in a complete landslide game the Stars won 8-1, the second most points they scored on any team that season.
The odds were in the Stars’ favor but mistakes happen, unfortunately, this mistake just happened to be a playoff game.
Haden Williamson led the game to a smooth start for the Stars, gaining the first point of the game with four minutes left in the first period. He was assisted by Danny Madlener and Daniel Campbell.
On this streak Zach Bucholt scored the next point, making the score 2-0.
This was the Stars’ game, the goalie Haden Stolz was not letting anything pass and it seemed like Heritage would not even score one point throughout the game.
It was only after the first period that Heritage made their first goal. Then in less than a minute, they made another. Then another.
All the Stars needed was just one goal to get the game into overtime and take the game, but no matter what they did it was not enough to get it past Heritage’s goalie.
With less than a minute left in the game, the Stars pulled their goalie to put another offensive player on the ice and get one more goal. Yet Heritage gained the puck, tore past the Stars’ defense, and took advantage of there being no goalie.
Heritage took the game 4-2, leaving Poudre School District’s team to be taken off of the ice for the rest of the 2023-24 season.
