DU’s New Head Hockey Coach David Carle – Photo Credit: CBS
The University of Denver’s hiring of David Carle as its ninth hockey coach in nearly 70 years of program history is a hire that has elements of excitement, safety and risk baked -in, and the fact that it took three weeks for DU to announce it means that the hire was no slam dunk.
Carle does have a lot going for him. He has 10 years of seasoning as assistant coach with DU and Green Bay (USHL) under his belt, and can be seen as representing logical continuity of the great program-building that’s happened under former head coaches George Gwozdecky and Jim Montgomery, with the Pios making the NCAA tournament every year that Carle has been behind the bench.As one DU hockey alumnus texted me after the news, “I love this hire. [Carle’s] got the goods.”Continue reading Puck Swami’s Rapid Reaction: DU Balances Continuity with Risk in David Carle’s Hire as Head Hockey Coach→
The hiring of University of Maine Athletic Director Karlton Creech as DU’s new Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Recreation looks to be a ‘safe’ hire for the University of Denver, likely to build incrementally on the legacy of the retiring Peg Bradley-Doppes, who spent the last 13 years in the position. Creech begins at DU on May 1, 2018.
Over 1,000 people, ranging from famous NHLers to Campus Lounge bar regulars, came to say goodbye to former Pioneer Captain Jim Wiste (1946-2018) at a touching memorial service on the ice of the University of Denver’s Magness Arena on January 11th.
DU and Wiste’s family put together an impressive tribute, complete with on-ice floral displays, an excellent video of Wiste’s life (shown on the scoreboard), and a post-event reception with extensive photos of Wiste’s life well-lived — as hockey player, entrepreneur, tavern-owner and host, husband, father, and grandfather. Continue reading PUCK SWAMI: Saying goodbye to Pioneer Hockey Champion Jim Wiste→
Most of you know by now that former Denver two-time all-American Hockey Captain Jim Wiste passed away this week from heart issues at the age of 71. Wiste, who co-captained the 1968 NCAA Champion Pioneers had a solid professional hockey career in the NHL and WHA after winning the NCAA title at DU. But he was perhaps best known around Denver as the owner of the venerable Campus Lounge, a Denver neighborhood tavern, for the 40 years between 1976 and 2016.
Wiste was part of the very first wave of college players to go from college hockey to NHL hockey in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the plucky center managed to save enough money from his hockey career to buy the Campus Lounge when his hockey playing days ended. Continue reading Jim Wiste, Pioneer Captain, 1946-2018→
The Pioneers host the Dartmouth Big Green this weekend in nonconference battle
After a couple unexpected ties with Colorado College last week, the Pioneers look to get back in the win column when they welcome Dartmouth College to Magness Arena. The two teams have only met five times in history with Denver’s record being 4-0-1 all-time. Their most recent game was in 2015 when the Pioneers traveled to Hanover and tied the Big Green only to lose in the shootout. Continue reading Denver Hockey series preview: Dartmouth→
The Pioneers are back in action this weekend playing the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs for the first time since the National Championship back in April
With Thanksgiving in the rear-view mirror, let’s hope the Pioneers had plenty to eat because they’re going to need the energy this weekend when they take on the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. This game has plenty of storylines including a National Championship rematch and Tariq Hammond playing the same team he injured his ankle against. So for the third week in a row now, Pioneer fans can look forward to another great series of college hockey. Continue reading Denver Hockey series preview: University of Minnesota Duluth→
The top-ranked University of Denver Pioneers are coming off a very impressive weekend beating Boston University and Boston College on the road. They will continue their season on the road again when they face the Western Michigan University Broncos this weekend on November 3rd and 4th in Kalamazoo. This will be the first NCHC series of the season for both teams. Continue reading Denver Hockey Series Preview: Western Michigan University→
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.
