Tag Archives: North Dakota

History & Tradition, Hockey, Pioneers, University of Denver

70 Years of DU Hockey History Part II: A Temporary Decline – 1970-1994

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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 →

History & Tradition, Hockey, Men's Sports

70 Years of DU Hockey History: The First 20 Years 1949-1969

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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 →

Battle on Blake, Hockey, University of Denver

DU’s Hockey Uniforms Grow in Appeal Over Time

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Photo: Courtesy University of Denver Athletics

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 →

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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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 →

Hockey, Men's Sports

PUCK SWAMI’S RAPID REACTION:  LOGAN O’CONNOR SIGNS WITH AVALANCHE

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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 →

Hockey, Men's Sports, Obituaries

PUCK SWAMI: Saying goodbye to Pioneer Hockey Champion Jim Wiste

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Current Pioneer Hockey Players at Jim Wiste Memorial Service (photo courtesy University of Denver)
Former DU and NHL player Cliff Koroll was Wiste's teammate and best friend (photo courtesy University of Denver)
Wiste's Service Viewed from above. (photo courtesy University of Denver)

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 →

Hockey, Men's Sports

Jim Wiste, Pioneer Captain, 1946-2018

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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 →

Battle on Blake, Hockey, Men's Sports

Puck Swami: DU Fans Need to Step Up for #Skatefor8!

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The United Center in Chicago – Home of the 2017 NCAA Frozen Four – Photo: NCAA

This is a very big week for everyone connected to the University of Denver, as our top-ranked Pioneers skate for NCAA Hockey Title #8 in Chicago. Over 1,000 DU fans will watch the game live at the United Center in Chicago, and thousands more will gather at the at least 13 DU-sponsored watch parties around the country or in front of their personal screens on ESPN around the world to cheer on the Pioneers, celebrating our common emotional bond with our team and school. Continue reading Puck Swami: DU Fans Need to Step Up for #Skatefor8! →

Hockey, Men's Sports

Friendship forged through rivalry, Liam Finlay & Tyson Jost remain close

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Photo courtesy Bobby Dusso

Separating friendship from team allegiance can be difficult for some, but it’s nothing new for freshmen winger Liam Finlay of the University of Denver Pioneers and North Dakota Fighting Hawks star center Tyson Jost. While Jost and Finlay didn’t begin playing together until 2011-2012 in bantam at the Pursuit of Excellence Academy in Kelowna, British Columbia, they have known each other since they were 8 or 9-years old where they met at a hockey tournament. Continue reading Friendship forged through rivalry, Liam Finlay & Tyson Jost remain close →