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Regis needs overtime to advance to final

Miller's winner on power play pushes Raiders' streak to 12

Published February 29, 2008 at 12:45 a.m.

Fans who made the brave decision to hit the concession stand during the second state hockey semifinal match Thursday night at World Arena did so at their own risk.

Momentum shifts were so frequent and drastic, any such quick trip might have resulted in an entirely different game being played upon that person's return.

Once the scoring explosions finally ceased, it was second-seeded Regis Jesuit that stood tall, recording a 5-4 overtime win against Lewis-Palmer. The Raiders (19-1-1) will take a 12-game winning streak into Saturday's title game against Battle Mountain and will aim to end the Huskies' 18-game winning streak.

The Raiders' Austin Miller scored the winning goal on a power play 1:44 into the extra session, blasting a slap shot from the top of the right circle that deflected off a Lewis-Palmer player and past Rangers goaltender Colin Anonsen.

"I couldn't believe it. Fortune smiled on us, I think it's as simple as that," said Regis coach Dan Woodley, whose team is in the state final for the first time. "We played a fine team that showed a lot of character. They had us on our heels for the first half of that third period. Then we were able to turn it on late in the third, and we tried to build on that momentum in overtime.

"Nothing can be said about one team winning or losing. It was fortune."

Lewis-Palmer held a 2-1 lead at the first intermission and appeared as if it would retain that lead after the second period when Regis put together a stirring salvo, scoring three goals in a span of 3:24 late in the period to take a 4-2 lead into the third.

The Rangers, though, did not cave and wasted little time tying the score with two goals in a span of 2:24 early in the third to make it 4-4.

"We know how to come back as a team and really bond and come together and win games," said Regis junior Connor Hayes, who led the Raiders with two goals and added an assist on Miller's winner. "It is such a great feeling."

Regis also received two goals from Taylor Cline and two assists from Gregg Davis. Nick Galvin, Keith Yates and Garrett Lukken each recorded one goal and one assist for Lewis-Palmer (17-4-1).

"We say it all the time - this team is four lines deep," Hayes said. "Everybody puts in the same amount of effort. It doesn't matter if I score goals . . . guys bust their butts and the whole team is bonding so well."

Lewis-Palmer 2 0 2 0 - 4

Regis 1 3 0 1 - 5

First period - 1, LP, Myles Rigg 2 (Michael Fisk 16, Zach Bever 7), 5:33; 2, R, Taylor Cline 8 (Luke Strode 7), sh, 13:42; 3, LP, Keith Yates 6 (Stevie Fillo 8, Garrett Lukken 8), pp, 14:04. Penalties - Nate Westerfield, LP (slashing), 7:03; Nick Mohr, R (interference), 9:32; Sam Johnson, R (cross checking), 13:15.

Second period - 4, R, Connor Hayes 11 (Nick Carey 11), pp, 10:17; 5, R, Cline 9 (Gregg Davis 14), 12:40; 6, R, Hayes 12 (Thomas Stack 5), 13:41. Penalties - Bench, LP (too many men), 4:25; Tanner Ottenbreit, R (interference), 5:14; Travis Lachner, LP (tripping), 7:27; Lukken, LP (interference), 8:17.

Third period - 7, LP, Nick Galvin 18 (Fillo 9, Yates 11), 3:22; 8, LP, Lukken 3 (Fisk 17, Galvin 16), 5:46. Penalties - None.

Overtime - 9, R, Austin Miller 3 (Davis 15, Hayes 20), pp, 1:44. Penalties - Fisk, LP (tripping), 1:02.

Shots - LP, 9-8-12-1-30; R, 5-8-4-3-20. Saves - LP (Colin Anonsen 15); R (David Nowicki 26).

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