Torno asked to tend goal for High Country Hellcats

RANGELY — When she is not working her regular job, taking pictures or writing articles for the Herald Times, one might find Kandice Torno all padded up with helmet, face mask and hockey stick, between the pipes, tending goal.
Torno has only been playing competitive hockey for a few years but she continues to improve and her goal-tending skills have been noticed by others.
“I’ve only been playing ice hockey for about four years but I feel like I’ve come a long ways,” Torno said.
Torno’s new coach Geoff Kent would agree.
Kent said he has been coaching women’s hockey teams in southwest Colorado for the past three years and recently formed a new team with the goal of competing in the women’s national championships next March. “Kandice is the best goalie I’ve encountered in the three years I’ve been coaching,” Kent said.
Torno, who drove to Craig to practice and play, recently finished her third season with the Puck Ewes, which finished fourth in the Mountain Division championships. Torno played in 24 games for the Puck Ewes this season and finished with a 13-10-1 record, including eight shutouts. Torno also subbed as goalie for Kent’s team, the Durango Betties.
“Kandice played 10 games with us this year and won six, all of them were shutouts,” Kent said in a voice of amazement. Kent has asked Torno to be the goaltender for his new team.
“Kandice understands the game really well, we love having her on our team,” Kent said.
“I’m excited about this opportunity,” Torno said.
Torno, Kent and their new team, the High Country Hellcats, will play together for the first time in their quest for the national championships next March in Rochester, N.Y.
The Hellcats will play in the seventh annual Front Range Faceoff in Westminster, Colo., this weekend.
“This weekend in the FRFO, we take the ice as the Hellcats and we take it in the A level,” Torno said. “You have no idea how excited I am to finally have a chance to perform at this level.”