Roughriders Open State Playoffs with a Win!

RJ Salvato Scores as Keegan McCarthy supports the blue line

Colorado Springs, CO - The Rocky Mountain Roughrider U16 AAA team traveled to Colorado Springs to begin the Colorado Tier 1 State Playoffs. The first game pitted the Roughriders against the local Colorado Rampage U16 team. In their last meeting the Rampage bested the Roughriders by a score of 5-3.

The Roughriders struck first in this matchup when Robert RJ Salvato buried a pass from Yannik Crete. Salvato put the puck between the pipes just 55 seconds into the contest to give the Roughriders an early 1-0 lead. At 5:42 of the first period Thomas Jarman kept his scoring streak alive when he took a pass from Hunter Clark, spread the sauce and hid the biscuit where grandma hides the cookies...top shelf! The Roughriders didn't play as if they had a 2-0 lead and poured the coals on to the Rampage. Forechecking, backchecking, body checking, the Roughriders were taking care of business in the first. With time ticking away in the first period, Lucas Blomquist buried a slapshot from the point to cap off a great first period.

The Rampage found a little life early in the second period when Mitchell Snyder found paydirt, chipping the Roughrider's lead down to 3-1. The second period was more balanced with each team having several scoring opportunities. The second period came to a close with neither team scoring.

Both teams return to action after the icemake with a huge desire to win. Some may call the third period scrappy, but it was really just two teams battling for the right and honor to represent the state of Colorado at the district tournament in Dallas, Texas next month. However, it was the Roughriders that struck first in the third period when Michael Buonincontri did some dirty dancing in front of the net and deked his away around goaltender Darrin Robinson giving the Roughriders a 4-1 advantage. Less than a minute later, Zachary Geiger narrowed the gap to 2 goals when he snuck a rebound past Joakim Jutras. The remainder of the 3rd period had the teams swapping scoring chances, but time ran out on the Rampage and the match ended with the Roughriders on top with a final score of 4-2.

Joakim Jutras faced 34 shots and stopped 32 while Darrin Robinson faced 32 shots and stopped 28.

The Roughriders play on Friday and will face the winner of the Thunderbirds U16 v. Pikes Peak Miners game.


Official Gamesheet