The Park City High School Hockey team shut out Brighton on Monday night in the state finals with a 6 – 0 score. The team is now on its way to accomplishing its next mission, which is to win a National Championship game in Dallas, Texas, in March.
Goalie and Co-captain Colten McIntyre said he has played four years with the Miners Hockey team and is excited to be part of such a successful season.
“And we've never had a run like this. I mean, every single game, we won six zero and plus, which I don't think that's ever happened before. So that was a big deal to go undefeated throughout the playoffs. And it's just such a, like a good solid group of kids that we had this year that we’re able to pull that off. I'm honestly amazed that I've got to finish my high school hockey career with this group of kids, and we're able to pull this off.”
Gabe Hopkins is another co-captain who plays defense and says it takes a whole team working together to produce a shut-out.
“Yeah, I mean, obviously we all played as a team, and it's not just a defense that can take credit for that. But yeah, we definitely played an important role.”
Ice Miners Varsity Head Coach Jack Skille said he came in a little wet behind the ears as the head coach this year, and he is stunned with how much the kids have taught him.
“Just learning what it takes as a head coach to get all the kids to buy in and pull the rope in the same direction--it's really been a great learning experience. I've been stretched. It's been a challenge in a lot of ways, but I'm truly grateful for those learning experiences that these kids have given me whether they meant to or not.”
Skille said the season’s highlights are winning hockey games, performing consistently, and watching players grow as human beings. He is now moving on to a new job in Wisconsin.
Skille said winning the state championship for the third year in a row is not the end of this team’s legacy at Park City High School. In addition to winning all three shut-out games during the playoffs, they strive for bigger titles.
“Let me just say our mission isn't over. We’ve got to make that clear. We won a state championship. But our goal as a team is to be the first team in the state Utah history to win a game of nationals as a high school team. So that's our main mission and we have our push to the summit on the 24th of March next month.”
Park City Miners Varsity is the YouTube channel they’ve used all season to live stream games. He said the parents will likely set that up for the Dallas national playoffs.
