University of Denver hockey players have mixed feelings about former teammate Paul Stastny, the impressive Avalanche rookie who left school after his sophomore year to sign with Colorado.

The consensus is the Pioneers are happy for Stastny, but a little irked at the huge offensive void he left behind.

DU captain Adrian Veideman said wishing Stastny hadn't signed is destructive to a team that is searching for a new offensive identity.

"Stas is a great player and everybody here knows that," Veideman said. "It's just a shame he left DU early. It's out of our hands. We just have to move forward."

Veideman added that Stastny's emergence as the Avs' second-line center makes his former teammates and the program they represent proud.

"It's great for exposure and definitely shows the talent that DU has created," Veideman said. "As a close friend of Paul's, he made a decision and I have to support that."

DU junior goalie Peter Mannino and sophomore wing Patrick Mullen still share an apartment with Stastny near campus. A handful of DU players attended Stastny's NHL debut last week, and Mannino thinks Stastny's progress "is great."

"You bring players in to move them on," Mannino said. "He is my roommate, and it's great to see something like that happen. Hopefully he stays there. It's great for the program and us seeing him reach that level."

"Neck and neck"

That was what DU coach George Gwozdecky said about the No. 1 goaltending job last week, and after two games, he said the position remains up for grabs.

Mannino took the loss in DU's 5-2 season opener at No. 10 Miami (Ohio) on Friday. He played decent but failed to control three pucks that led to rebound goals. Gwozdecky blamed the defenders in front of him more than Mannino's rebound control.

Senior Glenn Fisher backstopped Saturday's 3-2 win over then-No. 14 Colgate. Fisher wasn't tested as much as Mannino but was a key element in salvaging a weekend split.

"Right now, both guys have shown to me that they are on their game," Gwozdecky said.

Both goalies will likely start a game this weekend when DU visits St. Cloud State to begin Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.

In the polls

Vermont, the only unranked team in the Ice Breaker Invitational, replaced DU at No. 9 in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll after winning the four-team tournament with decisive victories over Colgate and Miami. The Pioneers (1-1) fell to 12th.

Boston College (0-0) remained No. 1.

Colorado College, despite being one of three ranked teams to begin 2-0, slipped one spot to 14th.