The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) held the semifinals of its 2026 Ice Hockey State Championship on Saturday, determining the teams that will compete in Monday’s finals at Magness Arena, University of Denver.
In the 4A division, No. 3 Pine Creek secured a spot in the championship after defeating No. 2 Colorado Academy with a late goal by Henry Hoghaug. The goal came with just over a minute left in regulation and was assisted by Matthew Thien and Conley Polsgrove. Earlier, defending champion and No. 4 seed Steamboat Springs beat No. 8 Colorado Springs District 11 with a score of 4-1. Four different players scored for Steamboat Springs, while Gavin Wittlinger contributed two assists.
Steamboat Springs will aim for its second state title in ice hockey, while Pine Creek is seeking its first championship.
For the 5A bracket, top-seeded Poudre School District defeated No. 4 Regis Jesuit by a score of 3-1. In another semifinal match, No. 3 Cherry Creek overcame No. 2 Valor Christian with a similar scoreline of 3-1, ending Valor Christian’s streak of six consecutive appearances in the state final.
Poudre School District was last year’s runner-up and is looking to win its first state title this year. Cherry Creek has previously won four state championships but has not claimed the title since 2015.
The championship games are scheduled for Monday at Magness Arena: Pine Creek will face Steamboat Springs at 5 p.m. for the 4A title, followed by Poudre School District against Cherry Creek at 7:30 p.m. for the 5A championship.
Recent playoff rounds saw several upsets and close contests across both divisions as teams advanced through quarterfinals and first-round matches leading up to Saturday’s semifinals.
