The Mountain View Colts began their 2024 Heritage Junior Hockey League postseason run with a 5-1 loss on Saturday night at the Didsbury Memorial Complex.
The Colts finished #2 in the HJHL’s Northern Division during the regular season, to earn home ice advantage and a qualification round bye heading into game 1 against the #3 ranked Rocky Rams.
Rocky had won 5 straight games to close the regular season, including erasing a 3-1 deficit by scoring 4 unanswered 3rd period goals versus Mountain View on February 16th at the DMC.
Prior to the game, Colts Head Coach Dan Visser would name Brock Lott the team’s starting playoff goaltender.
The rookie had been acquired from the Red Deer Vipers in January and made 6 regular season starts for the blue and red, boasting a record of (4-1-1) with a 3.16 GAA and .898 save percentage.
However, this wasn’t to be his night.
The Rams wasted little time capitalizing on a early too many men on the ice penalty for Mountain View, as just under 3 minutes into the game Tristan Hoffus would fire home his 1st of the post season to give his team a 1-0 lead.
Before the period was over Hoffus (2) would tally once again, with another powerplay goal to put the Rams up 2-0 at the first intermission.
The 2nd period would see things get away from the Mountain View Colts.
Affiliate player Jase Bernett, would make it a perfect 3 for 3 for the Rams powerplay. His first of the post season put Rocky up 3-0 early in the frame.
Colts leading regular season scorer Haiden Parks would get on back for the Colts, but just 53 seconds later, league MVP Reid Christensen (1) worked his magic in the offensive zone to restore the Rams 3 goal lead.
Kyle Humphrey (1) would put some salt in the Colts’ wound with a blast to put Rocky up 5-1 at the 4:18 mark of the 2nd.
That would spell the end for Brock Lott, who allowed 5 goals on 16 shots. Jordan McGinnis would play out the rest of Saturday night’s game.
The Colts would end up in some 3rd period penalty trouble and unable to get their offensive game going despite a large shot advantage.
The blue and red would eventually fall in game #1 by a final score of 5-1.
Zaiden Hansen turned aside 41/42 to pick up his 8th career playoff win.
Colts captain Paton Rothenbusch said post game that Colts were unable to keep the ball rolling after getting on the scoreboard.
Prior to tonight’s game, 96.5 CKFM caught up with Colt’s head coach Dan Visser.
Rocky Rams head coach Wendell Mason also joined CKFM in the pregame.
With the win, Rocky takes a 1-0 lead in the best of 5 Heritage Junior Hockey League series, with game #2 tomorrow night at 6:15 in Rocky.
96.5 CKFM will broadcast all Mountain View Colts home playoff dates, with our next broadcast scheduled for Wednesday night at 7:15 on our sister station Rock 104.5.
