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Clay Powers made more headlines in hockey last season than most coaches ever dream of. Midseason, one of his star players, Hudson Newgate, became the first pro hockey player to come out as bisexual, and then went on to marry his partner. Newgate, the Cougars organization, and Coach Powers were lauded for their inclusiveness.

Not six months later, Coach Powers became the second youngest head coach in the history of the sport to win a championship and then Coach of the Year.

Powers also oversaw the season-changing addition of veteran goalie Jethro Hale to the Cougar squad last year. “It’s a great honor to play for my old friend and former teammate Clay Powers,” Hale said on the night of their triumph.

Every sports news outlet was in Denver that night to cover the Cougars winning the Cup. But few people know what happened after the champagne stopped flowing.

“Coach closed the doors to the dressing room and said a few words to the team,” said David Stoneman, Alternate Captain and jersey number 66. “He thanked us. Told us how proud he was. Then the captain spoke, and when he was done, he asked if anyone else wanted to say something.”

Stoneman laughs at the memory. “So Hale raises his hand and he tells us he’s retiring. He didn’t even tear up or anything. It was totally unemotional—the way you’d rattle off your coffee order. And then he said, ‘Besides, your coach said he can’t date me until I leave the team.’”

When asked what happened next, Stoneman shrugs. “For a second, nobody knew whether to believe him. But Coach turned red, and I realized it was true. Those two always had sort of a weird energy between them. And now I guess we all know why. I’m happy for ’em.”

That was six months ago. The romantic partnership between Powers and Hale flew under the radar as the new hockey season got underway. The Cougars got off to a fine start in the preseason with Andrey Volkov back in the net after a successful back surgery this summer. Upstart Zack Walcott is his occasional relief.

Jethro Hale is employed as a part-time scout for the Cougars and is still a familiar face at the Boulder practice facility and the Denver arena. The press only picked up on the deeper relationship between Powers and Hale this month, when the two started house hunting in the tonier sections of Boulder.

They ultimately chose a grand four-bedroom with a fantastic kitchen and mountain views.

“We’re gonna have some sick parties on that patio,” Stoneman said about the purchase. “The team is pumped up.”

Let’s hope they’re also pumped up to win another title this year. Central Colorado will be watching.

The End

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