DU To Battle The Evil Empire This Weekend.
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(Left) Minnesota Coach Don Lucia leads the #1 Ranked Golden Gophers against the Pioneers
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Everything is on the line for the Pioneers this weekend. First place in the WCHA, a possible NCAA playoff berth, WCHA playoff seedings, DU's eight game winning streak, state pride...you name it. DU also comes into the game with an unusually successful 5-1-1 record on the Olympic ice.
Can DU duplicate the stifling defense exhibited against the Badgers and then blow the game wide open with their Power Play? That has been the formula on the current winning streak as well as timely contributions from the rest of the team. Against the Gophers the series just may be decided by the goaltending. The "Catholic Rotation" has been at its best over the past 18 months in pressure situations and it doesn't get much bigger than this. DU also hasn't lost a Third Period lead all season long.
Minnesota comes into the game with their own winning streak, a deadly Power Play Unit, home ice advantage and "Blue Chippahs" out the wazzoo. Doug Woog said in his article this week that the advantage goes to the team that scores first. I agree. Both teams have the ability to dictate the flow of the game and scoring first does just that.
With a split DU controls its own destiny, owning the tiebreaker with the Badgers and a one point advantage over the Gophers.
DROP THE PUCK....
Can DU duplicate the stifling defense exhibited against the Badgers and then blow the game wide open with their Power Play? That has been the formula on the current winning streak as well as timely contributions from the rest of the team. Against the Gophers the series just may be decided by the goaltending. The "Catholic Rotation" has been at its best over the past 18 months in pressure situations and it doesn't get much bigger than this. DU also hasn't lost a Third Period lead all season long.
Minnesota comes into the game with their own winning streak, a deadly Power Play Unit, home ice advantage and "Blue Chippahs" out the wazzoo. Doug Woog said in his article this week that the advantage goes to the team that scores first. I agree. Both teams have the ability to dictate the flow of the game and scoring first does just that.
With a split DU controls its own destiny, owning the tiebreaker with the Badgers and a one point advantage over the Gophers.
DROP THE PUCK....
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