Ice Hockey: First Round of State Championships Underway

AURORA – The first round of the 2026 CHSAA Ice Hockey State Championships is underway.

In 5A play on Friday night, No. 6 seed Mountain Vista edged No. 11 Lewis-Palmer 3-1 to set up a quarterfinals matchup with No. 3 Cherry Creek, while No. 5 Denver East was a 6-0 winner over No. 12 Castle View and advances to play No. 4 Regis Jesuit. On Thursday, No. 9 Chaparral edged No. 8 Ralston Valley 4-3 and now plays top seed Poudre School District. Saturday’s final first-round matchup is No. 7 Monarch against No. 10 Heritage, with the winner moving on to play No. 2 Valor Christian.

In 4A Friday, No. 8 Colorado Springs District 11 defeated No. 9 Crested Butte 4-3 and advances to the quarterfinals to face No. 1 Battle Mountain. The other first round game is Saturday, with No. 7 Summit squaring off against No. 10 Liberty for the right to play No. 2 Colorado Academy.

Quarterfinals games in both 5A and 4A are Tuesday and Wednesday.

The semifinals are Feb. 28 at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs, with the 4A games at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and 5A games following at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Semifinals tickets are available here.

The state championship games are March 2 at Magness Arena on the University of Denver campus, with the 4A final at 5 p.m. and the 5A contest at 7:30 p.m. Championship tickets are available here.
 

4A First Round Results/Schedule

Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21 at home sites

• No. 7 Summit vs. No. 10 Liberty, Saturday
• No. 8 Colorado Springs District 11 def. No. 9 Crested Butte, 4-3

4A Quarterfinal Matchups

Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 24-25 at home sites

• No. 1 Battle Mountain vs. No. 8 Colorado Springs District 11, Tuesday
• No. 2 Colorado Academy vs. No. 7 Summit-No. 10 Liberty winner, Tuesday
• No. 3 Pine Creek vs. No. 6 Standley Lake, Tuesday
• No. 4 Steamboat Springs vs. No. 5 Cheyenne Mountain, Wednesday

5A First Round Results/Schedule

Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 19-21 at home sites

• No. 5 Denver East def. No. 12 Castle View, 6-0
• No. 6 Mountain Vista def. No. 11 Lewis-Palmer, Friday, 3-1
• No. 7 Monarch vs. No. 10 Heritage, Saturday
• No. 9 Chaparral def. No. 8 Ralston Valley, 4-3

5A Quarterfinal Matchups

Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 24-25 at South Suburban Sports Complex in Highlands Ranch

• No. 1 Poudre School District vs. No. 9 Chaparral, Tuesday, 5 p.m.
• No. 2 Valor Christian vs. No. 7 Monarch-No. 10 Heritage winner, Tuesday, 7:40 p.m.
• No. 3 Cherry Creek vs. No. 6 Mountain Vista Wednesday, 5 p.m.
• No. 4 Regis Jesuit vs. No. 5 Denver East, Wednesday, 7:40 p.m.