Hockey race in the Peak Conference still wide open

The Liberty hockey team won five games over the past two seasons. In Mark Tabrum’s second season at the helm, the Lancers are 8-2, and are in position to contend for the Peak Conference title in a wide-open league that is every bit as close as the day the season opened.

With about a month left in the regular season, Fountain Valley and Bishop Machebeuf entered Monday tied atop the conference standings, but Liberty, with a win over Fountain Valley in hand, could be in prime position when the regular season concludes Feb. 18.

Just don’t ask Tabrum how the Lancers -- who went 0-19 in 2009-10 -- have done so well.

“Smoke and mirrors,” he joked.

It’s not all magic. Tabrum pointed to the depth at goaltending and experience throughout the lineup for the Lancers, who have four players with 18 points or more.

Liberty trails the top two teams by six points, and lost to Heritage recently, snapping an eight-game win streak. Still, when Fountain Valley and Machebeuf play each other on Saturday, the Lancers could be the biggest winner.

“I would say right now that Liberty is the favorite,” Fountain Valley coach Mike Payne said. “And Palmer, Machebeuf and us are fighting for second.”

The Danes are trying for their first conference title since the program’s resurrection in 2008-09. Fountain Valley, a semifinalist last season, might have the most well-rounded team, with seven players averaging more than a point per game.

Palmer, under new coach Kevin Shrewsbury, has flourished. Entering Monday’s five-game slate, the Terrors, who faced off with Machebeuf, were in third place with 10 points. They still had games yet to come against Lewis-Palmer, Liberty and Fountain Valley.

Right there with the Terrors was Rampart, which is riding a four-game win streak.

Rampart coach Josh McIntosh knew goaltending would be a challenge for the Rams. The young goalies have improved, with Brandon Seifert winning the Rams’ last three games.

“They’ve been working really hard and they’ve been getting better,” McIntosh said. “Seifert is squaring up and letting people hit him (with shots). We’ve been playing a lot better in front of him.”

Two-time defending state champion Lewis-Palmer has been up and down with a 6-5-0 record, but can’t be counted out. The Rangers lost to Fountain Valley and Liberty, but defeated Machebeuf.

While Liberty entered Monday’s game lurking in sixth place and as a now-known league contender, the Lancers aren’t thinking league title. They’re most focused on earning their first playoff spot since the 2003-04 season.

“What I can honestly tell you is, our goal ... we’re going to take one game at a time,” Tabrum said. “If we do our job the rest will take care of itself.”