LetsGoDU

Practice? Pioneers ready to compete By Mike Chambers Denver Post Staff Writer

The University of Denver hockey team began a whirlwind week Thursday at the Pepsi Center, where it will host this season's NCAA Tournament West Regional and the 2008 Frozen Four. DU and officials from the Metro Denver Sports Commission and the Pepsi Center announced ticket packages for the regional event and unveiled the Frozen Four logo. Official DU practice begins Saturday morning at Magness Arena. That evening, DU will host the University of Calgary for an exhibition game at Magness. DU opens the season Oct. 6 against Miami (Ohio) in the Icebreaker Tournament. Because of NCAA rules, DU coach George Gwozdecky and his staff will have had just two hours of ice time per week with players until Saturday's pregame skate. "It's not the ideal situation, but it's not the first time in our conference that it's been done," Gwozdecky said Thursday of playing an exhibition game on the first day he and his staff are allowed full access. "We really didn't have a choice. We either schedule an exhibition game or not. If we did schedule it, it had to be played that day. I'm sure the guys would rather play a game than practice, anyway." Gwozdecky, whose ninth- ranked team boasts a program-record 11 NHL draft picks, isn't overly concerned about having his team in shape for No. 8 Miami. Nearly all of the sophomores, juniors and seniors have been holding captain's practices since the beginning of August. Freshmen joined those practices about a week before school began in early September. "We'll only have a very bare-bones type of philosophy in place," Gwozdecky said of Saturday's game. "I'm sure the timing and how we want to play from zone to zone will not be great, but all the guys have worked hard." Captain Adrian Veideman has been leading a talented squad built from the fruits of the 2004 and '05 national titles. The senior defenseman, one of eight Pioneers with at least one NCAA championship ring, said being guaranteed to play in this season's West Regional by qualifying for the 16-team national field is discussed often, but is a delicate subject. "It's one of those things that's in our control day-to-day," Veideman said. "We have to get ready for our success day-by- day and not look forward to next week, the weekend after, March or April." The 2008 Frozen Four, which will be Denver's first time hosting the national semifinals since the late Herb Brooks guided Minnesota to the 1976 title at the old DU Arena, has been a big recruiting tool. Said Gwozdecky: "We had to play in some hostile environments during our NCAA championship runs in 2004 and 2005. Our seniors are motivated to compete in the NCAA tournament in front of our hometown fans." Footnote DU junior Ryan Dingle has been named preseason second-team All-American by College Hockey News. Dingle had 27 goals last season.