Denver has just barely scraped by its opponent in three of its last four games. Slow starts and costly turnovers have troubled the No. 4-ranked Pioneers. With the regular season over halfway completed, each game holds more significance now that conference play is underway. Continue reading Denver’s internal adjustments key in preparation for Top-10 clash against Villanova
In an 11th hour effort to keep their conference basketball titan, Gonzaga, the West Coast Conference capitulated to the demands of the Bulldog basketball program, ensuring the league will be dominated by the Zags in the future. The agreement keeps the Bulldogs from bolting to the Mountain West Conference – at least for the short term.
We wrote about Gonzaga’s interest in moving to the Mountain West Conference and how that might affect DU’s conference membership hopes and dreams here. Continue reading Gonzaga shakes down West Coast Conference
DU fans are most familiar with the number 33. That’s the new number of national team championships owned by the University of Denver. As of the beginning of this school year, Denver had 428 All- Americans. But expect that number to grow considerably.
DU fans have become so accustomed to these awards that many fail to fully appreciate just how rare and special they are for both the athlete and the institution. And, each sport in collegiate athletics applies a different formula to award this special designation.
Expect Denver to add at least another 25 new All-American titles this school year to the current list. Continue reading University of Denver reaps All-American windfall
Photo:Courtesy of Georgetown Athletics
Denver had another slow start and trailed the Georgetown Hoyas 3-1 at the end of the first half in Washington, D.C.. Denver got their only goal from Austin French on a feed from Ethan Walker at 10:16 of the first quarter. However, Georgetown owned a 2-1 advantage at the end of the quarter and picked up another goal in the second quarter.
Just like the prior weekend, it was Senior Trevor Baptiste who would ignite the Denver comeback in the second half.
Walker pulled the Pioneers within one goal with an unassisted tally to make it 3-2 to open the scoring in the second half. But the Hoyas’ Craig Berge completed his hat trick in the third quarter to take the Hoyas advantage to two – 4-2. However, just like the prior week against Towson, a faceoff win and unassisted goal from Trevor Baptists would fuel a Denver comeback at 14:51 of the 4th quarter. Denver’s Joe Reid pulled Denver even exactly two minutes later on an unassisted goal. DU’s winning goal came from Colin Rutan, unassisted, with 7:20 left. Denver’s goalie, Josh Matte (3-0), made three saves in the final quarter to seal the match while DU played stout defense and controlled the ball.
Denver had 10 turnovers to Georgetown’s 11 for the game. Baptiste was 12 of 15 (80%) from the X to give the Pioneers a decisive possession advantage and moved into second place in the all-time record book for faceoff wins.
Georgetown is 0-6 against against the Pioneers since Denver joined the Big East.
However, one has to think that Denver should be holding bigger advantages with Baptiste owning faceoffs. Denver caught pipe on a number of occasions and flat out missed some close-in shots. Add a slow start, double digit turnovers and the #3 Pioneers have been living dangerously the past several weeks.
Denver faces Villanova on April 7th in Villanova, Pennsylvania.
Map – The old Gates Tire and Rubber Company site is only three miles from the University of Denver and a nine-minute drive from University & Evans
The Denver Real Estate Journal published a piece on Amazon’s ‘HQ2’ which is expected to create more than 50,000 jobs for the eventual ‘winner’. And, depending on your point of view, the award is certain to be transformational for the city that wins the Amazon sweepstakes. As we all know, it could be good or bad – depending on your view of urban growth, job growth, economic growth, real estate values, city services and traffic.
A number of cities are vying for the honor but Denver is one of the finalists. Already a major hub for the online retailer, Amazon already has a significant presence in Denver with over 1,500 employees and counting. And while many have speculated that the Amazon selection team will want to add a presence in the eastern time zone, others argue that Amazon’s very own selection criteria place Denver among the leaders. Continue reading Amazon’s ‘HQ2’ could have a seismic impact on the University of Denver area
Left: Troy Terry, Upper Right: Dylan Gambrell and Lower Right: Henrik Borgström
As expected, the talented Denver forward trio of Troy Terry, Henrik Borgström and Dylan Gambrell have all elected to forego their remaining NCAA hockey eligibility and have all signed three-year NHL Entry Level Contracts (ELCs) with the respective teams that held their draft rights. These ELCs have a maximum base salary of $925,000 per season, and the players may also earn signing and performance bonuses that may cap out at up to $3.75 million. All ELCs are two-way contracts, meaning that if the player is sent to play the AHL, they will be paid a minor league salary of about $70,000. Continue reading Terry, Borgström, Gambrell and Hillman All Leave Denver Early for NHL Contracts
Photo: Courtesy The Denver Post
The Ohio State Buckeyes (26-9-5) played stifling defense and scored opportunistic goals to rout the University of Denver (23-10-8) in the NCAA playoffs 5-1 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. In an ironic twist, it was the Pioneers high flying offense that could never get off the ground and it was the Ohio State Buckeyes finding the back of the net. The game had all the feel of a masterpiece crafted by former DU assistant coach, now turned Buckeyes assistant, Steve Miller who employed a central defense which pushed the Denver forwards to the wings and mopped up in front of the goal so freshman goaltender Sean Romeo could keep DU’s future NHL stars at bay. Continue reading DU Smothered by Ohio State, 5-1, in NCAA Quarterfinals
The University of Denver is better at hockey than Penn State. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be when a 69-year-old program plays a six-year-old program. For the second year in a row, the Pioneers beat the Nittany Lions in the NCAA Tournament. Last year it was a 6-3 victory in the second round and this year it was a dominant 5-1 victory in the first round. Continue reading Denver better at hockey than Penn State, advances to fourth straight Regional Final
With 1:46 left in overtime, Colin Rutan found himself with time and space to the left of the net. He saw top-right twine just waiting to be graced with a ball’s presence. It was almost calling out to him. Rutan heard it, saw it, and found it. As soon as the ball hit the net and fell to the ground on the other side of the goal line, the Pioneers spilled off the sideline and mobbed Rutan for clinching an important 11-10 nonconference victory over the Towson Tigers. Continue reading Pioneers ride nine-goal second half, Colin Rutan heroics to win overtime thriller against Towson
We wrote about the Campus Lounge 2.0 in an article when they reopened in late October. Their closing date as reported by The Denver Post will be March 26th according to the owner, Dan Landis.
Landis admitted that the new-age food concept did not meet the sports-centric demand offered by the former owner Jim Wiste, a former DU hockey all-American, who recently passed away. Continue reading Campus Lounge 2.0 Closes – Again
