The Cheyenne Stampede took two of their three games over the weekend of Nov. 16-17 against the Arizona Red Hawks. The Stampede opened up their weekend with 2-0 shut-out victory on Friday Nov. 16, before falling to Arizona 3-1 on Saturday Nov. 17. They then rebounded and grinded out a 2-1 overtime victory Sunday afternoon on Nov. 18.
The Stampede were first to get on the board on Friday night with a Kevin Rosset goal midway through the first period off a Noah Eckebrecht pass from the corner. Eckebrecht found Rosset alone in the slot and fed him a pass that he buried into the goal to give the Stampede a 1-0 lead. Throughout a penalty filled second and third period, the Stampede penalty kill unit showed up big, and backstopped by goaltender Daniel Cepila, they held off the Red Hawks throughout the game. The Stampede clinched the game late in the third period with a goal from Ryan Demyen with assists from Ryan Carroll and Kevin Rosset. Cepila held in for the shutout as well, stopping all 25 shots that Arizona threw at him.
Saturday night’s game saw Arizona score late in the first and early in the second to take a 2-0 lead. The Stampede responded when Kevin Rosset took the puck coast to coast to score the Stampede’s lone tally of the game. Arizona managed to score once more in the second period, and were able to hold the Stampede off throughout the rest of the game. The Stampede never stopped coming and fired off 36 shots on goal but to no avail as Arizona held on for the victory with a 3-1 score.
Sunday afternoon saw the Stampede come out with renewed intensity, but surrendered the first goal to Arizona six minutes into the first period. The Stampede and the Red Hawks engaged in a gritty, grind it out style game with a lot of physicality. In the second period, the Stampede tied the game with a Kevin Rosset shorthanded goal. The rest of the second and the third period went by with both teams having multiple scoring opportunities. The teams also pounded each other the whole game. Late in the third period, the Stampede went on a 5-on-3 powerplay to finish the period and to start the 5 minute overtime period. During this powerplay, Ryan Demyen netted the game winner off a rebound from Heath Lantz. Russell Armbruster also notched an assist on the play to give the Stampede the win.
Coach Marty Quarters commented on the weekend saying, “We’re happy we got four points, but would like to get the full six.” He said the key to the team is “to focus on the task at hand.” Following their two losses against the Brahmas the previous week, Quarters said that the team needed to gain some confidence and they came out strong on Friday night to get the win. He also praised Arizona, saying “they’re better than their record.” Quarters said the key to their rebound Sunday was they renewed their physical play, nearly doubling their hits per game from Saturday night. “We’re in the grind right now.” Quarters said, referring to being in the middle of a junior hockey season.
The Stampede will next host the New Mexico Renegades on Nov. 23 with puck drop at 7:35 p.m. at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center. Tickets are available by calling 307-433-0024 or at www.CheyenneStampede.com “This should be an emotional matchup as the Stampede opened their WSHL Season against the Renegades with a sweep at New Mexico, Kind of a Blood in their Eye Game” , according to Mark Lantz the Stampede’s GM.
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Story by Matthew Humphrey, Stampede Beat Writer