Last season, the Summit High School boys hockey team were underdogs. After failing to make it past the first round of the playoffs for over 10 years, Summit made an improbable run through the Class 4A playoff bracket, advancing all the way to the state final game before falling to Durango.

As the state runner up, Summit entered the 2024-25 season with a target on its back. Seeing itself as a true contender for a state-championship trophy, Summit began the season with several wins, but a loss to Durango on Jan. 24 changed the way the Tigers thought about their path going forward.

Instead of viewing itself as a favorite to hoist the Class 4A state-championship trophy, Summit once again embraced the underdog mentality that got them so far last season. The Tigers also changed the way they prepare for games, putting their phones away, going out to eat as a team and treating every game like a playoff game.

The change in preparation and mindset has resulted in three-straight 4A Mountain league wins. After falling to Durango on Jan. 24, Summit beat the defending state champions the next day, 3-1.

The following week, Summit traveled to the Roaring Fork Valley and notched an additional two wins. On Friday, Jan. 31, Summit rolled past Glenwood Springs with a 7-2 win before defeating Aspen, 8-2, on Saturday, Feb. 1.

“We talked about playoff hockey starting last Saturday in that Durango win,” head coach Chris Miller said. “I think we are just going to continue that the rest of the season. The preparation is the big change that has happened. We are working some different schemes.”

Summit will now play its final road game of the season against Steamboat Springs on Friday, Feb. 7. The Tigers will play their final game of the regular season at home on Friday, Feb. 14, against Battle Mountain.

“We have to get back to that underdog mentality from last year,” Miller said. “In these games, the teams are tight, the skills are kind of all there, so it kind of comes down to who wants to work harder and who wants it more. We are just reenforcing that in practice.”