by Mark Smiley | Apr 17, 2026 | Travel
by Mark Smiley
University of Denver players celebrate on the ice after securing their 11th NCAA National Championship, capping a resilient postseason run with a dramatic third-period comeback. Photo courtesy of the NCAA.
The University of Denver has once again cemented its place among college hockey’s elite, capturing the NCAA National Championship in a thrilling finish to a remarkable season. For fans across the Denver metro area, including the Cherry Creek valley, the victory is both a point of pride and a celebration of one of Colorado’s most storied athletic programs.
For much of the championship game, the odds appeared stacked against the Pioneers. Still feeling the effects of a double-overtime semifinal win over Michigan, Denver struggled to generate offense early. Wisconsin carried a 1-0 lead into the third period and dominated possession, outshooting Denver 26-6 on goal and 58-22 overall. Goalie Johnny Hicks once again faced relentless pressure, turning away wave after wave of scoring chances.
The turning point came midway through the third period.
Senior forward Rieger Lorenz battled in front of the net and capitalized on a rebound off a shot from Garrett Brown. After his initial attempt was stopped, Lorenz stayed with the play and slipped the puck through to tie the game with 12:29 remaining.
The goal shifted momentum instantly.
Just minutes later, Kyle Chyzowski tipped in a slapshot from Boston Buckberger with 5:52 left, giving Denver a 2-1 lead it would not surrender. The late surge secured the program’s 11th national championship.
“It’s a one-shot game after two periods,” head coach David Carle said after the game. “We finally got one to the net, and Lorenz was able to hang around that area. It gave our guys belief.”
Hicks, who anchored the team throughout the tournament, was named the Frozen Four’s Most Outstanding Player. The freshman recorded 29 saves in the championship game, including several key stops in the final period, and finished the season unbeaten since taking over the starting role in January.
Denver reached the title game with a hard-fought 4-3 win over Michigan, where Hicks made a career-high 49 saves. Senior captain Kent Anderson delivered the game-winner, supported by goals from Clarke Caswell, Cale Ashcroft, and Chyzowski.
“We weathered it well,” Carle said. “They threw a lot at us, but we stayed composed. When we had our chances, we made them count.”
The championship marks Denver’s third under Carle, adding to titles in 2022 and 2024, and further extends the program’s lead as the winningest in NCAA men’s hockey history.
Beyond the ice, the victory resonates across the Denver community. Hockey has deep roots in Colorado, and the Pioneers’ success continues to energize youth programs, local rinks, and fans throughout the region. In neighborhoods like Glendale and Cherry Creek, the championship serves as a reminder of the area’s strong connection to top-tier athletics.
As celebrations continue, the Pioneers’ latest title stands as a testament to resilience, teamwork, and a championship mindset, qualities that have long defined Denver hockey.
by Editorial Board | Apr 17, 2026 | Editorials
Editorial —
Increasingly progressive Westword recently declared “good riddance” to Colorado’s largest company (based on market capitalization), Palantir Technologies, after announcing it was moving to Miami. The data-processing giant moved to Denver in 2020 from Silicon Valley in California.
With the company and its highly paid employees — including co-founder Alex Karp — leaving town for the Sunshine State, Westword informs us that “we” won’t miss them. Why? Apparently because the company does work for the federal “military-industrial complex,” including the hated ICE and Department of Homeland Security.
By similar logic, “we” are lucky that the relatively recently formed federal Space Force was moved by Trump from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama, with the loss of hundreds of jobs. In the same vein, hopefully any remaining mining and oil and gas operations in Colorado can be quashed in the name of saving the planet from climate change.
It is not clear whether or not Westword is equally happy about Trump shutting down and dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, with the likely loss of 800 well-paying jobs. NCAR is part of the now-hated federal government under Trump but is not, per se, part of the military-industrial complex.
Exactly what jobs in Colorado Westword does deem acceptable is also unclear, but it is no secret that Westword itself is up for sale, with titular head Patty Calhoun leaving a post she has occupied since 1978.
Westword has its share of challenges, like most print publications in Colorado. The staff, however, is being proactive in ensuring that the publication does not go to the wrong kind of person. It recently featured an article by Hanna Metzger with the headline “Racist, Abusive Son of Former Broncos Owner Offers to Buy Westword.”
It is assumed that John Bowlen was being facetious about an offer, but the publication went out of its way to delineate all of Bowlen’s many faults and failures, with the article’s writer declaring at the end that “Westword is not interested.”
Of course, that leaves open whether someone with the right pedigree is willing to buy the publication and keep the staff employed. Westword, like most publications, is largely dependent on advertising revenue. That revenue is, in turn, dependent on successful private businesses looking for customers they hope ads in the publication will bring them.
Westword’s staffers may be “happy” that various companies are leaving Denver but may find, to their chagrin, that some of the departing jobs may include their own. In case they are not aware, good jobs in journalism these days are very scarce. Perhaps Westword will one day find that Colorado’s largest company leaving Denver was not necessarily a cause for “celebration.”
— Editorial Board
by Ashe in America | Apr 17, 2026 | Feature Story Bottom Left
ASHE IN AMERICA — OPINION
The El Paso County Clerk & Recorder Speaks Out About External Influence In Colorado’s Democracy
El Paso County Clerk & Recorder Steve Schleiker quietly resigned as Vice President of the Colorado County Clerks Association (CCCA) in early March, and he also withdrew El Paso County from active membership in the non-governmental organization.
In late March, Schleiker released his reasons for leaving, and they are explosive.
“After careful consideration, I made the decision several weeks ago to resign as Vice President of the Colorado County Clerks Association and to withdraw El Paso County from active membership. This was not a decision I made lightly.” ‘
Schleiker says that his decision was “driven by concerns about independence, transparency, and the role of external influence within what is intended to be an independent association.”
After this news broke, I requested open records from several counties and received both his resignation letter as well as his notification letter to his clerk colleagues. Both letters are published in full on my Substack.
Schleiker named names.
“It has been difficult to watch what appears to be one individual in Denver, Martha Tierney, attorney for the Colorado Democratic Party, exert significant influence over election-related legislation, directing caucus positions and outcomes.”
He also alleged that CCCA Executive Director Matt Crane and CCCA President Carly Koppes prohibited him from attending certain meetings, even though he was the NGO’s elected Vice President. “I was not permitted to participate in certain executive-level meetings with the Secretary of State’s Office. I was informed this was due to a lack of trust from that office, and that participation would be delayed until others were more ‘comfortable.’”
But he believes those reasons were dishonest.
“After receiving that information, I reached out directly to the Secretary of State as well as multiple members of her staff. Each of them shared with me that these conversations had not occurred. That response raised additional concerns for me and led me to believe this situation was developed internally by the CCCA President and Executive Director.”
In response to Clerk Schleiker’s story going public, Clerk Koppes reportedly disputed his characterization, according to a summary from Complete Colorado:
“Koppes said Schleiker’s interpretation of the events are not accurate, saying the meetings Schleiker is referring to historically are held between the president of the organization, the executive director, and various stakeholder groups to discuss upcoming events, legislation, and other things pertinent to the organization. Koppes has the authority to expand those at the meetings to also include the president-elect and the vice president. Because this is her last year, Koppes says she was considering doing that so those two roles would be more informed as they took over the organization into the next year. However, some of the stakeholder groups’ members came to Koppes concerned about Schleiker’s views.”
Upon reading the characterization of Koppes’ position, I reached out to Clerk Schleiker. In his resignation letter, he said he wasn’t going to speak to the press about his resignation; but since the CCCA was disputing his story, I thought maybe he would change his mind.
He did, and he wrote me back — with even more allegations against the professional association. More on that below, but first some backstory.
The CCCA is run by Matt Crane, a former Arapahoe County clerk who has been the subject of great controversy since 2020. Crane is the mastermind of the recent CCCA statements demanding Tina Peters remain in prison. I wrote about that back in December when Elbert County Clerk Rhonda Braun bravely, publicly, rebuked the CCCA’s position as not representative of the clerks.
Crane is the main point of escalation for the clerks on all things election related. He also has the perception of a conflict of interest there. From Holly at Altitude back in 2021:
“It turns out Crane’s wife worked at Sequoia Voting Systems, which was acquired by Dominion Voting, for over 17 years… Matt Crane was working in influential election roles, bouncing between the public and private sector… Crane’s work included influencing, recommending, and distributing voting systems; shaping voter legislation, budgeting, designing and implementing voter registration, overseeing vendor contracts, and installing operating systems, the list goes on.”
Consider the investigation of Tina Peters’ Mesa County reports. The investigator called Matt Crane to craft the official narrative debunking those reports’ findings. That audio was released in February 2025. On the audio, you hear the investigator call and explicitly ask Mr. Crane how to debunk the findings.
Clerk Schleiker doesn’t stop with external influence. In response to my request for comments, the clerk makes additional allegations of retaliation and county interference by the CCCA principals:
“…an emergency meeting was convened by the Association’s leadership where my character and decision were discussed in a negative manner…Shortly thereafter, the Executive Director independently contacted several of El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s vendors and spoke negatively about me and the situation…”
Why is the head of a professional association reaching out to county vendors and allegedly disparaging the elected clerk in that county while ostensibly discussing county business?
External influence, sure, but this is external interference. Matt Crane has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Clerk Schleiker is raising red flags.
What is your clerk saying about this, and are they still paying dues to the CCCA?
You should ask.
Ashe Epp is a local writer, host, and activist. Find all her work at linktree.com/asheinamerica.
by Valley Gadfly | Apr 17, 2026 | Valley Gadfly
Valley Gadfly
There will be not one, but two, Full Moons over the Mile High City in May! The first moon, the Full Flower Moon, reaches its peak over Denver on Friday, May 1 at 11:23 a.m.
The second full moon, the Blue Moon, occurs on May 31 at 2:45 a.m. local time. Once in a Blue Moon is an idiom that refers to an event that happens vary rarely, or almost never.
With Earth precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon this month, here are our choices for shopping, dining, and entertainment, so you will enjoy brighter days ahead:
Kevin John Edusei conducts Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, and Jess Gillam plays the saxophone for the concerto. The program, The Rite of Spring, is in DCPA’s Buell Theatre May 1, 7:30 p.m. Information: 720-865-4220.
Don’t miss multiple Grammy-winning singer Alejandro Fernandez entertaining at Red Rocks May 7, 8 p.m. Information: 720-865-2494.
Catch Swedish indie folk singer, guitarist Jose Gonzalez playing at the Mission Ballroom May 11, 8 p. m. Information: 720-577-6884.
Try the recently opened Chicken Riot located in the former Truffle cheese shop on E. 6th Ave. Eatery marries Texas barbecue’s bold techniques with the tasty traditions of Northern Mexico. Information: 720-967-7678.
Freshen up your home for spring with interior plaster and drywall repair by The Wall Rebuilders. They will repair any age house, old or new. Phone for free estimates. Information: 303-698-1057.
The 16- to 18-piece Count Basie Orchestra entertains at the Lone Tree Arts Center, May 13, 1:30 p. m. Information: 720-509-1000.
Pianist, vocalist, and composer Dawn Clement plays at Dazzle Denver in the DCPA complex, May 17, 5 p.m. Information: 303-839-5100.
Grammy-nominated musician Jontavious Willis plays in Swallow Hill’s Tuft Theatre, May 22, 8 p.m. Information: 303-777-1003.
Support Ronald McDonald House Charities by attending the Storybook Ball at Wings Over the Rockies, May 8, 6 p.m. The Snoopy fundraiser takes you into a world where doghouses become airplanes, scarves flutter in the wind, and guests become part of a soaring story of help and hope. Information: 303-832-2667.
May is the time when the flowers bloom, the birds sing, and the Cherry Creek Valley awakens from its winter slumber. Lawns along neighborhood streets are turning green.
The merry month of May in Denver brings a mix of warm temperatures, occasional rain, and beautiful sunny days. It is an ideal time to explore the Mile High City’s natural surroundings.
Allow the Full Moons in May to be a symbol of calm, consistency, and a guiding light this month. Do you know who conducts the spring orchestra this month? The May-stro.
— Glen Richardson
The Valley Gadfly can be reached at newspaper@glendalecherrycreek.com.
