Colorado State sends two to nationals S


uccess has followed the Colorado State University program this season, as both the Rams’ Division II


and III teams qualified for their respective American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) National Tourna- ments. Division II nationals will run from March 16-20 in Ft.


Kelly Newton


Myers, Fla., while the D-III showcase will take place from March 14-17 in Vineland, N.J. The Rams’ Division II team posted a 22-7-4 record heading to nationals, including two Pacific Region wins


over the University of Washington, 7-3, and UNLV, 9-4, last month in San Jose to punch its ticket to Florida. “We have four very strong offensive lines, a solid D core and exceptional


goaltending,” said head coach Kelly Newton. CSU’s Division III team, meanwhile, finished in second place in the


ACHA Pacific Region in just its third year of existence, earning it its trip to nationals. For more information on the Rams program, visit CSUHockey.com.


RMR to host State Wars tryouts S


tate Wars, an elite inline national championship event, will be holding its tryouts for Team Colorado on April 21-22 at RMR in Lakewood.


Tryouts will be held for all divisions (2004-and-under through 1994 birth years) and those selected will repre- sent Colorado at State Wars, which will be held this sum- mer in St. Louis from Aug. 1-12.


“Over 30 states and four Canadian provinces will be rep- resented at State Wars this summer, making it the most geographically diverse roller hockey tournament in the world,” said national director Tim McManus.


All tryouts are risk free (any player not selected will receive a full refund of their tryout fee). To sign up for this year’s tryouts online, visit StateWar- sHockey.com.


Pikes Peak’s Staub continues his climb C


By Matt Mackinder


olin Staub will find a home next season playing high-level junior hockey somewhere, and he has the Pikes Peak Miners to thank. A member of the program’s 18U AAA team this year, the Colorado Springs native has em- braced every opportunity to hone his game in hopes of punching a Division I ticket in the not- too-distant future.


“I’ve learned a lot this season,” said the for-


ward. “My teammates are great people, on and off the ice, and it doesn’t hurt that our team is pretty good.”


In addition to its state and tournament sched- ule, the Miners’ 18 squad finished in second place in the North American Prospects Hockey League (PHL) regular-season standings with a 16-5-1 mark.


The 6-foot, 200-pound Staub put home 11 goals for 19 points in 22 PHL games. “Colin’s the definition of a hockey player, and he’s the exact type of top-end player the Miners are known for producing,” Pikes Peak 18U coach Luc Trombetta said. “He’s a winner, he’s a leader, and he’ll continue to play the same role in Junior A and college hockey in the coming years.” “Coach Trombetta and Coach (Greg) Vanover have been great to me,” said Staub. “Both of them know the game very well and my skill and deter- mination has grown considerably over the last three years because of them.”


Staub, a 1994-born who turns 18 this month, signed a tender with the Wichita Falls (Texas)


Wildcats of the North Ameri- can Hockey League for next season and even played a couple games this year for the Tier II Junior A team to get a feel for the next level. He’s hoping continued sea-


soning in the junior ranks will give him a chance to compete for a Division I program down the road.


“I just try to do my best each practice and each game,” said Staub. “As for being a future D-I player, that’s been my dream since I was a little kid and knowing people be- lieve that I can do it is a great feeling.”


Colorado Avalanche su-


perstar Peter Forsberg also inspired a young Staub and still does to this day.


“He was one of those play- ers who could do anything,” he said. “If he needed to be


Colorado Springs native Colin Staub, who just wrapped up a solid season with the Miners’ 18U AAA team, is ready to take the next step in his promising young career. Photo/YSPN.com


a grinder, he could be a grinder; if he needed to be a skill guy, he could be a skill guy - that’s the kind of player I’d like to be.”


Staub will concentrate on weighing his options for next year in the coming weeks. With May’s United States Hockey League Entry Draft on the horizon, he’d like to get a crack at playing in America’s only Tier I junior league, but Wichita


Falls poses an “exciting challenge” if the opportu- nity presents itself. “I don’t know what I’m looking to do,” Staub admit- ted. “Wichita Falls has been great to me, giving me the opportunity to play a few games with them, and I’ll have to give them some obvious consideration.” And, while assessing his own development, Staub certainly valued his brief stint in Texas this season. “It was nothing but great,” he said. “I learned a lot about my own skill level and also what it takes to be a good player in that league.


“Even in four games, I learned a lot from the coaching staff and many of the players.”


Whatever next season


looks like, Staub is confident that anything is possible if he punches the clock and puts in the work.


“In a perfect world, in five years I see myself playing D-I college hockey having been drafted into the NHL,” he said. “Realistically, I see my- self hopefully playing D-I and doing my best to continue my career.”


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