Fort Collins goalie Sam Simon performance on Tuesday night was the talk of the hockey community. The junior stopped 84 shots in a thrilling five-overtime state championship hockey game.
At the time, it was believed that his performance tied a national record. And on Wednesday, the CHSAA office got official confirmation from the NFHS: Simon’s 84 saves tied the national mark, originally set in 1987 by Jamey Ramsey of Flint Northern, Michigan.
Said his coach, Dylan Strom, also to the Coloradoan: “He’s phenomenal. There’s a reason why we’re here and he’s a big part of that.”
Simon’s save total went like this: He stoped 14 shots in the first period, 18 in the second and 12 in the third, giving him 44 in regulation. Each overtime period is eight minutes. He had seven in the first, four in the second, nine in the third, and 12 in the fourth, and eight in the fifth.
“Sam Simon did a great job,” said Valor Christian coach George Gwozdecky, whose team won the title. “There are so many superlatives that you can use to describe his performance, but he was outstanding.”
Added Valor Christian’s Evan Pahos, who scored the winning goal: “I’ve never seen that in my life, and he had the game of a lifetime.”
DENVER — The best things in life never come easy. That was a lesson the Valor Christian hockey learned Tuesday night at Pepsi Center.
The Eagles put 84 shots on goal against Fort Collins goalie Sam Simon. None of them went in.
But the 85th did — in the fifth overtime. Valor Christian’s Evan Pahos scored the winner with two minutes to play.
The result was elation. Elation from the Valor Christian players and elation from their fans that never wavered and never once thought of abandoning what may have been the greatest Colorado high school state championship game of all time.
With a 1-0 win, the Eagles are state hockey champions for the first time.
“I’ve been wanting this moment ever since I came here my sophomore year and started playing hockey here,” Valor goalie Trey Hirschfield said. “We got close one time. Before the season started, I knew we had to win or I would be crushed.”
But there were times where it seemed like no matter what happened, that puck was never going to get by Simon. After putting 14 shots on the net in the first period alone, the Eagles started the second period with another salvo at the Lambkins’ net.
Simon blocked one shot before an attempt off the rebound sailed over his left shoulder, but wide of the net. With nothing falling, the last thing coach George Gwozdecky wanted to see from his team was frustration and doubt start creeping into their heads.
“You just keep talking to them,” Gwozdecky said. “You educate on how tournament games are going to go and you have to prepare yourself for overtime.”
But maybe not five. The game was the longest state championship hockey game in state history.
More photos. (Paul Shepardson/PaulShedardsonPhotography.com)
Gwozdecky noted that the all the snacks and items that the Eagles brought to keep their energy up ran out after the first overtime. But they kept skating hard and firing shots on the net. Simon just kept turning them away.
“Sam Simon did a great job,” Gwozdecky said. “There are so many superlatives that you can use to describe his performance, but he was outstanding.”
As was Hirschfield. Regulation ended with neither goalie giving anything away. Then the first overtime. Then the second.
And so on.
But in the fifth overtime, as jokes were made from the stands about students having to get to school, Simon finally got beat.
Pahos scored the game-winning goal with 2:12 to play in the fifth OT for the Eagles:
“I saw the shots going into that fifth overtime and he had 76 saves,” Pahos said. “I’ve never seen that in my life and he had the game of a lifetime. It was getting annoying. We had to keep going and try to wear him out. Finally one by him.”
The championship-winning goal caps a remarkable week for Pahos, who also scored the game-winner against Regis Jesuit to put the Eagles in the state title game.
More photos. (Paul Shepardson/PaulShedardsonPhotography.com)
It was a complete team effort for all 88-plus minutes of hockey that was played on the sheet of ice normally home to the Colorado Avalanche. Example No. 1 is the way that Hirschfield kept his composure especially watching what Simon was doing from the other side.
“It was mostly my team and the guys in front of me, my defense,” Hirschfield said. “They were phenomenal tonight and put everything on the line. We had two guys block shots with their faces.”
Go big or go home. And that’s exactly what both teams did on Tuesday.
It may not feel like for the Lambkins, but there were no losers at Pepsi Center. Valor Christian may have won the game, but the chatter for years to come will certainly surround a monumental effort from Fort Collins and its netminder.
It is believed that the 84 saves from Simon tied a national record for saves in a game.
Dear Colorado high school basketball participants, coaches, fans, communities, and CHSAA supporters:
I am writing you today to keep an open line of communication from our office to you with regard to COVID-19 and our culminating championships.
We are in direct contact with relevant state agencies, as well as the host facilities, which would guide us in making any changes in the schedule to our state basketball tournaments. Last week, we let you know that our plan is to conduct the championship events unless directed by state agencies and/or facility administration of cancellations. On Tuesday, we reiterated that plan.
Per state guidance, and out of an abundance of caution, we are encouraging those above the age of 60, or those in at-risk populations, to avoid large crowds, as data shows they are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19, if exposed.
We will remain in contact with those monitoring the situation to make the best decisions on behalf of our students and our high school fans and communities.
Our student-athletes, high school fans and communities, are at the forefront of any decisions we would make moving forward, regardless of financial impact. We fully understand and believe in what our tournaments mean to our communities, and our goal is to uphold the experience of the participants and fans without compromising health or safety. We are open to all options going forward if a directive which impacts our state tournaments is made by state agencies.
We will continue to support the local administrative decisions made in the best interests of their school communities.
With today’s news that Gov. Jared Polis has declared a state of emergency in Colorado, the CHSAA office reiterates that Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green’s statement from last week remains true today.
Per the Commissioner’s statement on March 4, “Our plan is to conduct the championship events unless directed by state agencies and/or facility administration of cancellations.”
I am in contact with multiple state and local agencies in regards to any changes that may occur with CHSAA culminating championships. The state and local agencies as well as our facility administrators have me on their “high alert” communications. If there are closures, logistics will be communicated to the membership and posted to CHSAANow immediately.
My suggestion is that these discussions and contingency plans happen at the local level should a school terminate contact and the state event still contested. Our plan is to conduct the championship events unless directed by state agencies and/or facility administration of cancellations.
The safety and well-being of our participants, staffs, volunteers and fans will be in the forefront of all decisions.
Spring sports competition, and decisions regarding regular season events, are up to local schools and school districts. The CHSAA office sent out a school memo today that regular season games cancelled would not affect postseason qualification and seeding.
“The safety and well-being of high school students in school communities must be the priority,” Blanford-Green said. “We support our local school districts to make the best decisions for their school communities, and will work with them as needed.”
Voted upon by coaches and select media members around the state. These rankings have no bearing on postseason seeding.
Coaches and media members looking to vote should email rcasey@chsaa.org.
Class 5A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Cherry Creek (3)
0-0
86
2
Regis Jesuit (4)
0-0
80
3
Heritage (2)
0-0
79
4
Rocky Mountain
0-0
61
5
Mountain Vista (1)
0-0
57
6
Valor Christian
0-0
36
7
Grandview
0-0
30
8
Rock Canyon
0-0
29
9
Douglas County
0-0
28
10
Legacy
0-0
20
Others receiving votes:
Chaparral 16, Pine Creek 16, Legend 14, Ralston Valley 14, ThunderRidge 11, Fort Collins 10, Boulder 5, Poudre 4, Windsor 3, Lakewood 2, Vista PEAK Prep 2, Arapahoe 1, Broomfield 1.
Class 4A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Cheyenne Mountain (4)
0-0
95
2
Pueblo West (5)
0-0
87
3
Silver Creek (1)
0-0
69
4
Holy Family
0-0
45
5
Fort Morgan
0-0
36
6
Golden
0-0
34
7
Longmont
0-0
28
8
Ponderosa
0-0
22
9
Wheat Ridge
0-0
21
10
Montrose
0-0
20
Others receiving votes:
Erie 18, Palmer Ridge 17, Lewis-Palmer 14, Roosevelt 12, Skyview 11, Air Academy 10, Canon City 10, Discovery Canyon 8, Falcon 8, Pueblo Central 8, Denver West 7, The Classical Academy 6, Palisade 5, Pueblo South 5, Evergreen 4, Centaurus 3, Sierra 1.
Class 3A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
University (5)
0-0
89
2
Eaton (2)
0-0
84
3
Resurrection Christian (3)
0-0
81
4
Lutheran
0-0
67
5
Sterling
0-0
43
6
Colorado Academy
0-0
34
7
Delta
0-0
31
8
La Junta
0-0
21
9
Alamosa
0-0
20
10
Peak to Peak
0-0
19
Others receiving votes:
Faith Christian 14, St. Mary’s 14, Brush 11, Bennett 4, Kent Denver 4, Manitou Springs 4, Jefferson Academy 2, Lamar 2.
Class 2A
RK
TEAM
W-L
PTS
1
Peyton (6)
0-0
74
2
Rye
0-0
59
3
Fowler
0-0
55
4
Yuma
0-0
53
5
Holly (3)
0-0
50
6
Limon
0-0
39
7
Wiggins
0-0
37
8
Dayspring Christian Academy
0-0
19
9
Dawson School
0-0
16
10
Calhan
0-0
14
Others receiving votes:
Sargent 13, Front Range Christian 11, Hotchkiss 10, Burlington 9, Dolores 8, Wray 8, Holyoke 6, Paonia 4, Denver Christian 3, Highland 3, Clear Creek 2, Rocky Ford 2.
