Monthly Archives: September 2018

Hockey

Freshmen Land #1 Spot in line at the Hockey Ticket Camp Out

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It is always encouraging when DU’s freshman class leads the way at Denver’s annual Hockey Ticket Camp Out. Freshmen, Nick and Alexx (yes, two x’s), from Greenwood Village and Parker respectively, had the first tent position this year. Alexx, a big fan of DU hockey since high school, borrowed a large seven person tent from a friend and set it up on the Ritchie Center lawn early Friday morning.

Campout 2
Freshman secured the #1 Spot for the Hockey Ticket Camp Out

LetsGoDU wanted to learn more about these first-year students – so they answered a series of questions.

Showing the optimism of true freshmen, both predicted a 34-0 regular season for the Pioneers –  the same as the LetsGoDU Super Poll.

We also asked a few non-sports related questions.

Both students expect to buy their first car in-person – not on-line. They prefer Illegal Pete’s over Chipotle and both avoid shopping at Abercrombie. Alexx says it smells aweful – and he is right. Both freshmen prefer Uber because “it was first”, according to Nick while Lift and Ofo (DU’s bike sharing) were a distant second and third.

Nick had used Snapchat 10 minutes before our interview and Alexx confirmed his last Snapchat was 35 minutes before the interview. Nick mailed a stamped letter in May and Alexx could not remember the last time he mailed a stamped letter. While they were split on whether they would choose a free ticket and flight to Coachella or $1,000, both were Amazon Prime members.

And, as freshmen, how many articles of DU athletic clothing did they have? The answer – Nick with 5 and Alexx with 8.

Per tradition, DU players delivered donuts Saturday morning and the students received their season tickets.

Hockey

2018-19 University of Denver Hockey Season Preview

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Photo credit: Matt Dewkett, SBN College Hockey

We’ve reached the end of September and college hockey returns in less than two weeks. That means we’re less than two weeks away from the beginning of a new era of Denver Hockey. In a little more than a week, first-year head coach David Carle, who replaced Jim Montgomery who took the head job with the Dallas Stars, will lead the Pioneers back onto the ice at Magness Arena in their exhibition game against the University of Alberta to kick off one of the more intriguing seasons in recent memory. Not only do the Pioneers have to replace one of the best coaches in program history, but they must also replace some of the most talented players they’ve ever had.

Continue reading 2018-19 University of Denver Hockey Season Preview →

Men's Soccer

Amazing Andre Propels Pioneers to 2-1 OT Win

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Photo: Courtesy of DenverPioneers.com

The Pioneers fell behind an over-matched Tulsa Golden Hurricane squad in the first half. Harris Partain gave Tulsa the lead at 40:13. The half ended with a slight possession edge to the Pioneers. But the Pioneers could not solve goalkeeper Bryson Reed who played an outstanding game for the ‘Canes.

Soccer Tulsa
It was a magical night at CIBER Field

Denver began to seize control of the game in the second half. After several outstanding scoring opportunities from the Pioneers, Shinyashiki tied the match at 61:38 with an assist from Kenny Akamatsu and Jacob Stenssen. This would give Shinyashiki an NCAA leading 18 goals for the season. While Denver dominated possession the balance of the second half, the Pioneers could not finish the contest in regulation.

Denver continued to posses the ball in the first overtime period but could not find net on several solid chances. As the time was winding down in the second ten minute overtime period, Shinyashiki struck again. With the ball sent into the Tulsa box, DU’s Liam Johnson and Stefan Deleone traded touches and the ball was sent to Shinyashiki in traffic. He buried the golden goal in the left corner of the cage for the over-time victory. This gave Andre 19 tally’s for the season – and the undefeated Pioneers move to 8-0-1 for the season. Denver out-shot Tulsa 20-6 for the night on the strength of a solid second half and double overtime.

What Pioneer fans are watching is unprecedented in DU soccer history. Shinyashiki now has the Denver single season scoring record, has 7 game-winning goals for the season and has scored all Denver’s goals in the last three games. He has more than doubled his nearest NCAA scoring rival for the season. In fact, Andre Sinyashiki has scored more goals than 93% of the 206 teams in D1 soccer – and that percentage may have grown tonight. And everyone in the stadium and on the pitch knows he is the scoring engine for Denver. Not to exaggerate – we are watching Denver soccer history in the making.

Amazing Andre.

Hockey, Men's Sports, Women's Sports

North Dakota launches new Fighting Hawk mascot

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LetsGoDU’s response to North Dakota’s new mascot costume? Closeout on aisle #3 at Party City. It looks like budget constraints at “the U” have trickled down to a school-sponsored cartoon character. Sleeve warmers with fabric flaps and an off-the-shelf head with Zorro mask fall flat – as children are sure to flee the angry fowl and drunk North Dakota fans are certain to give the feathered creature a beer shower. Even DU’s now-defunct Red Tailed Hawk, Ruckus, tops the most current green and black hawk effort.
North Dakota Mascot 3
It didn’t work then and it won’t work now.
The obvious choice would have been a return of  Thunder the Bleacher Creature. Thunder was the unofficial UND mascot (sound familiar?) for the University of North Dakota. His costume went missing after the 1994 season. Never to return, this costume was definitely not an ‘off-the-shelf’ mascot.
North Dakota Mascot 4
Isn’t this better?
And the fans don’t seem to be happy, either. However, there is some good news. In Philadelphia, Saint Joseph’s University faithful have plenty to celebrate now that they no longer own the worst Hawk costume in the country.
Image result for st joe hawks
St Joe’s Hawk no longer perches on the lowest branch..
Men's Soccer

Shinyashiki Powers Denver in 4-3 Win

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Photo: Courtesy of Omaha Athletics

Denver stormed back against a two goal deficit to defeat a frustrated Omaha Mavericks side. The match featured skirmishes and ejections as Omaha’s coach Bob Warming was ejected after receiving two yellow cards.

Denver outshot the Mavs 18-9 but the pesky home-side made the most of their opportunities against a sometimes shaky Nick Gardner in goal for the Pioneers.

While Denver controlled the ball in the first half, Omaha took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Diego Gutierrez at 29:48 from the left wing who tucked the ball into the far upper left of Denver’s goal. The teams traded punches the rest of the first half with the Mavericks headed to the break with the advantage. Omaha doubled the advantage to 2-0 at 48:03 on a corner kick header by Billy Hoffman on a near-post shot into the Denver net.

Then, DU’s Andre Shinyashiki caught fire and all hell broke loose.

A minute after Hoffman’s goal, Pioneer star Andre Shinyashiki cut the lead in half with a shot from the right side of the goal, assisted by Kenny Akimatsu. Shinyashiki knotted the match a minute later with another shot from the right wing. Shinyashiki made it three goals in traffic with an inside the box tally in less than four minutes at 53:10 to give Denver the lead 3-2.

While Denver continued to control the pace, Omaha drew even at 77:39 at 3-3 on a goal by Martin Veys. Amazing Andre, not to be outdone on an incredible night, countered a minute later on a shot from the top of the box to make it 4-3, Denver. That gave Shinyashiki the Quadruple for the night – and the game winner.

With 10 minutes to go, it looked like Omaha had tied the game but an offside call from the linesman sent the Omaha players and bench into a frenzy. Omaha’s coach, Bob Warming was sent to the showers with his second yellow card of the night. Denver held on for the tough road win.

One Mav fan said it all for the home side:

Shinyashiki now leads the NCAA with an incredible 17 goals and Denver’s record moves to 7-0-1 (1-0 Summit). And an underrated Omaha squad falls to 1-5 (0-1).

Hockey

LETSGODU SUPER POLL™ PICKS PIONEERS ONCE AGAIN

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Photo: We crunched the numbers and it is the University of Denver in the top spot – again.

For Immediate Release

The 2018-2019 college hockey Super Poll™ using Goddard-Metrics picks DU in the top slot for the 14th consecutive year.

  1. Denver – Stuns the nation during rebuilding year.
  2. Boston University – Daddy’s money not enough to win it all
  3. Minnesota – Duluth – The Bulldogs will be a Prairie Home Companion during the finals
  4. Michigan – More haze than maize in 2018-2019 campaign
  5. Notre Dame – Same excuse as always – high admission standards hamper recruiting
  6. Providence – Out of the frying pan and into the Frier, the creepiest mascot in all of sports, Frier Dom, is too hard to over-come.
  7. St Cloud – Great sweaters but not enough for a ticket to Buffalo
  8. North Dakota – Checking in at #8 in both NCAA hockey and Drunkest Cities in America
  9. Wisconsin – Too drunk to beat their #4 slot in Drunkest Cities in America
  10. Cornell – Too smart for their own good –  mid-terms and finals undermine any hope of Frozen Four glory.

*Last – Colorado College – Crushed by the weight of their own high expectations

** The LetsGoDU Super Poll™ is a scientific analysis factoring strength of schedule, player statistics and coaching tendencies. Then Denver is placed in the one spot, CC is placed last and the rest of the teams more or less settle where they might likely finish.

Hockey, Men's Basketball, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Sports

Puck Swami’s Guide to 2018-2019 DU Sports Fan Road Trips

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kTir1
Traveling to watch Pioneer Sports is one of the great joys of life.  Photo: Aviation Stackexchange

While not all of DU’s teams have announced their 2018-2019 schedules yet, we know just enough to start planning potential road trips to see our beloved Pioneers play in some of America’s most iconic destinations. If you’ve never travelled to see the Pioneers play, you are missing out on some amazing experiences.  There is a special “us against the world” feeling that comes from watching DU on the road as Pio fan, and when the team gets a road win, it can feel even more special than a home win, because the team just needs you more on the road. Here are some possibilities to help get you started, with DU men’s  hockey, basketball, soccer and lacrosse road trips, in alphabetical order by area:

Continue reading Puck Swami’s Guide to 2018-2019 DU Sports Fan Road Trips →

Uncategorized

Fight Oar Die at DU: a Pioneering sendoff

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Photo courtesy Jason Evans & Fight Oar Die
Denver Pioneer head hockey coach David Carle, Chancellor Rebecca Chopp, and the media all came out Monday afternoon on campus to meet “Fight Oar Die”, the DU supported team of veterans who will row across the Atlantic this December. Also on hand was “Woobie,” the 30-foot rowboat the men hope will carry them to victory. Continue reading Fight Oar Die at DU: a Pioneering sendoff →
Men's Soccer

Another Shinyashiki Hat Trick Vaults #5 Pioneers over #22 San Francisco Dons, 3-0

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Screen Shot 2018-09-16 at 9.43.25 PM
Senior Striker Andre Shinyashiki put on another goal scoring show with his third hat trick in just seven games as #5 DU beat #22 USF, 3-0 Sunday. Photo: University of Denver

Senior Striker Andre Shinyashiki continued his torrid scoring pace, producing all three DU goals in the fifth-ranked Pioneer men’s 3-0 sun-baked soccer shut-out demolition of the #22nd-ranked University of San Francisco Dons at DU Soccer Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 16.

The hat trick was his third such three-goal performance in this young season, as the Brazilian continues to lead the nation in goal scoring, with 13 goals in just seven games, which is already the second-most season goals in DU’s Division I history.  He also had scored twice in Friday’s 3-1 win over Harvard, and set-up the game-winner with an assist, and today notched his third-straight multi-goal game to keep the Pioneers undefeated at 6-0-1 on the season.  All three of Shinyashiki’s goals today came in the second half to blow open a 0-0 halftime tie in 92 degree heat, after the first half had seen Shinyashiki create a number of near misses. Continue reading Another Shinyashiki Hat Trick Vaults #5 Pioneers over #22 San Francisco Dons, 3-0 →