Our own Puck Swami has authored a four-part historical retrospective for the 70th anniversary of the DU Hockey program. This is Part II. Part One can be found here, and Parts III and IV will follow in the coming weeks. While these stories will run far longer than our usual stories, remember that 70 years is a lot to cover. Enjoy!
Given DU hockey’s successes in the program’s first 20 years, there was no reason to believe that the Pioneer hockey program was about to enter a 35-year period with no NCAA titles. After all, there was plenty of talent in the pipeline. In the early 1970s, DU leveraged its 1960s dominance to attract a number of star players who would move on the NHL — George Morrison, Peter McNab, Bruce Affleck, Rob Palmer, Mike Busniuk, Rich Preston, Mike Christie, Mike Lampman, Vic Venasky and Ron Grahame would all wear the Crimson and Gold in the early-to-mid 70s before moving on to the highest level. Continue reading 70 Years of DU Hockey History Part II: A Temporary Decline – 1970-1994→
Our own Puck Swami has authored a four-part historical retrospective for the 70th anniversary of the DU Hockey program. Part One begins today, and the other three parts will follow in the coming weeks. While these stories will run far longer than our usual stories, remember that 70 years is a lot to cover. Enjoy!
As we celebrate 70 years of Pioneer hockey this coming weekend (Nov. 1-2, 2019), it helps to know just how far the DU Hockey program has evolved in those 70 years. The first 20 formative years saw DU go from a terrible start-up program to the dominant program of the 1960s as a five-time NCAA Champion. Part One of this series reviews those first 20 years of DU Hockey. Continue reading 70 Years of DU Hockey History: The First 20 Years 1949-1969→
Those of you who contributed to the “Go Denver Pioneers Spirit Fund” over the last 12 months will see the first fruits of your donations tonight at the Denver vs. Boston College Hockey Game!
The spirit fund has purchased over 100 re-usable DU fan signs and banners (see examples in the photo accompanying this story) designed to enhance the game-day experience in multiple different sections around Magness Arena. This new signage will be available for use during games by season ticket holders and students, and the DU athletic department is handling game-day distribution and end-of-game retention.
This first signage investment represents less than 1/6th of the current fund so stay tuned for more purchases to debut later this season!
We wrote about North Dakota’s hockey uniform changes earlier this week. But what about DU’s hockey uniform evolution?
In large measure, much of DU’s hockey uniform concept dates from the early years of the DU hockey program in the early 1950s, when the Pioneers introduced home and away jerseys in both crimson and white with crimson pants, with the school/city name “Denver” placed in arching letters across the chest. Those jerseys also had a large red, white and gold elbow striping on the sleeve and shins with a later matching stripe around the bottom of the jersey, which was added in the 1960s. Those cornerstone design elements, with some periodic typestyle and color evolutions, are still on the jerseys today and are crucial parts of the DNA of Denver’s hockey look and tradition. Continue reading DU’s Hockey Uniforms Grow in Appeal Over Time→
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’shockey, basketball, soccer and lacrosse road trips, in alphabetical order by area:
Logan O’Connor has signed with the Colorado Avalanche/Denver Post Photo
National Hockey League teams have feasted on the excellence of the Denver Pioneers hockey program this off-season, taking three of DU’s top forwards (Henrik Borgstrom, Dylan Gambrell and Troy Terry) before graduation, a top defenseman (Blake Hillman) early, its head coach (Jim Montgomery), and now, DU’s captain-to-be.
Logan O’Connor, an undrafted forward from Calgary, Alberta who was slated to become DU’s captain as a senior this season, signed a two-year NHL entry-level contract as a free agent with the Colorado Avalanche on July 23, thus ending his college career a year early.Continue reading PUCK SWAMI’S RAPID REACTION: LOGAN O’CONNOR SIGNS WITH AVALANCHE→
DU’s Henrik Borgström had two goals for Denver against BC. Photo: University of Denver
In their most complete game of the season to date, the #1-ranked Denver Pioneers (4-0-2) exploded for three-goal third period to rout #19th-ranked Boston College, 6-1, before nearly 5,000 fans at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Mass. The win over BC, when coupled with DU’s Friday 4-3 win over Boston University, sent a strong national message that the Pioneers are the team to beat this season.
“Looking at our team, that was the best performance of the year especially offensively,” said Denver coach Jim Montgomery after game. “We really showed skill tonight. We made a lot of plays and were really good at managing the puck…We executed great on everything…From our goaltender out, our communication was the best I’ve seen it all year as far as talking and puck support.”
Denver’s all-America candidates stepped up and led in a big way, as Finnish sensation Henrik Borgström had two goals, including the eventual game-winner. Troy Terry had three assists on the evening and Dylan Gambrell scored a goal and added a pair of assists to pace the Pioneer attack, joining the elite 100-point club for DU career scoring. DU defenseman Blake Hillman also potted his first two goals of the season to help the Pioneers, and Tyson McLellan scored his first of the season for the other Pioneer marker on a feed from Gambrell.
“Denver has dynamic players,” said Boston College coach Jerry York. “They may be better [this year] than they were last year.”
Denver had jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first two periods, and looked to cruise to victory, but BC clawed it’s way back into the game with a lone power play goal coming on a tip by Christopher Brown 1:45 into the third period to cut the DU lead to two goals. But the Pioneers responded with three unanswered goals in the third to blow the game open and complete the Boston sweep.
The Pioneers travel to Kalamazoo, Michigan next weekend to open NCHC play against Western Michigan.
Well here we are just three weeks into the Denver Pioneers hockey season and they are already headed into the belly of the beast. This weekend the Pios travel to Boston to take on the Boston University Terriers (#6) on Friday and the Boston College Eagles (#19) on Saturday. The Pioneers are still #1 in the USCHO poll after their series with Lake Superior State last weekend where they came away with a tie and a win. The NCHC is well represented in the USCHO poll with St. Cloud State just behind Denver at #2, the University of North Dakota at #4, and the University of Minnesota-Duluth at #10.
The Pioneers played both Boston College and Boston University last year at Magness Arena less than a week apart. The Pioneers fell to the Eagles 3-1 after goaltender Joseph Woll stopped 40/41 shots in the Ice Breaker Tournament. Later that week, the Pioneers hosted the Terriers and won 4-3 in a game that featured current Arizona Coyote Clayton Keller. Denver scored the first three goals of the game, but even after a strong comeback BU wasn’t able to tie it up in the final moments of the game.
This year between BC and BU, they have a combined 17 players drafted to NHL teams, 5 with BC and 12 with BU. And that doesn’t count standout freshman Brady Tkachuk.
These two games will be a big test to the Pioneers even though their stars know what it takes to play a good road game. Boston University’s Agganis Arena will be a hostile environment on Friday as BU will be looking to knock the Pios off their #1 seed.
Boston University Record: 3-2-1
Boston College Record: 1-3-1
Who’s In?
Boston University
BU is one of the most prestigious hockey programs in the country, therefore they always get the cream of the crop in terms of prospects. This year they added three defenseman and six forwards to their 2017-18 roster featuring Shane Bowers, David Farrance, and Brady Tkachuk.
Tkachuk has already been turning heads at BU as a freshman who already has four assists. He is projected to be a top first round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft.
The Eagles added six freshman to their roster for the 2017-18 season including one defenseman and five forwards. Forwards Logan Hutsko, Jacob Tortora, and Christopher Grando have already made early contributions this season collecting 4, 3, & 2 points, respectively.
Both Hutsko and Tortora were on the United States Under-17 & Under-18 National Teams. Grando played two seasons in the United States Hockey League for the Green Bay Gamblers where he scored a total of 54 points.
Who’s Out?
Boston University
The good thing about Boston University’s hockey team is that when they lose a handful of NHL prospects, they add just as many in next year’s freshman class. Here is what the Terriers lost last season.
Cangelosi is with the New Jersey Devils AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils
Gaudreau is with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers
White signed an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators
Fitzgerald was a 4th round selection of the Boston Bruins and is with their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins
Scott Savage is with the ECHL’s Jacksonville Icemen
Strengths
Boston University
This team has a lot of talent on the ice and can score at will. BU currently averages 34.2 shots per game with an average of three goals per game. The Pioneer defenseman will be tested a lot during this game with a focus on a heavy forecheck from the Terriers.
The Pioneers need to stay away from the penalty box in this game because the Terriers power-play is lethal. BU is currently 8-24 executing on 33% of their power-play opportunities. A lot of that has to do with their body position in front of the net, courtesy of 6’5 240-pound Jordan Greenway.
Boston College
The Eagles have a phenomenal goaltender in Joseph Woll. Although it seems like he’s not getting as much scoring support as last year, he can still take over games. BC is also averaging 27 shots per game so the Pios will need to limit shots from high scoring areas for Tanner Jaillet.
BC captain Michael Kim was on of the most impressive defenseman I saw last year at Magness Arena. He wasn’t the biggest guy but he could skate very well and was great at exiting his zone clean.
Weaknesses
Boston University
It’s hard to find any flaws in this team, but the Pioneers need to get into BU goaltender Jake Oettinger’s head. Drafted in the 1st round of the 2017 NHL draft by the Dallas Stars, Oettinger has all the talent in the word but he has been beatable this year especially on the power-play where he has already allowed 7 goals.
The terriers are also allowing an average of 32 shots from their opponents. The memo from coach Montgonery should be for the Pioneers to get the puck in deep, win board battles, and shoot from anywhere. This is the type of game that will be so close that the winner will most likely come out on top because of a lucky bounce or two.
Boston College
The Eagles are committing an average of 5.4 penalties per game and giving up an average of 31.2 shots per game to their opponents. If the Pioneers play the way they did against Lake Superior State, Joseph Woll could be in for a long night.
Another weakness to consider is the Eagles power-play. They are just 3-16, converting on just 18% of power-plays. The Pioneers generally play a pretty clean game, but in case they get in penalty trouble their PK unit should be able to stop BC.
This is a very difficult series to predict. I think because the Eagles have lost so much talent from last year that it will be difficult for them to keep up with Pioneers. But Friday night, the Terriers will want to make this a statement game. There will be scouts galore at this game that is loaded with NHL talent, making every player wanting to play their best.
Both DU and BU have benefited from their freshman sticking around for another year and getting valuable experience in two very competitive divisions. It’s very possible this could be a Frozen Four preview. The keys for the Pioneers will be to play a simple game, get an A+ performance from Tanner Jaillet, and capitalize on any and all BU mistakes. Henrik Borgstrom has been red hot coming into this series and this is his opportunity to show a huge college hockey market how elite his skills are.
I’m predicting the Pios go 1-1 this weekend, but hopefully we’re pleasantly surprised.
