From: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers
There are silver linings in the University of Denver's 4-4 record. For starters, the Pioneers (2-2 WCHA) enter this weekend's bye having played just two home games, and none against WCHA foes. They have split two-game WCHA road series at St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth, and rallied for splits in three of four weekends overall.
"We're still trying to form our identity, but we feel our (4-2) win Saturday night at Duluth was our best game of the season," DU assistant coach Steve Miller said. "When the game was on the line, we didn't back down. We stepped up."
As anticipated, goaltending has become DU's strength. Senior Glenn Fisher and junior Peter Mannino have combined to limit the opposition to seven goals in the past four games.
Denver returns to action Nov. 10 to begin a two-game series at defending NCAA champion Wisconsin. After that, the Pioneers play eight consecutive games in Colorado, including seven at home. Only a Dec. 15-16 two-game trip to Alaska-Anchorage breaks up a 16-game stretch that features 13 games at Magness Arena.
If nothing else, blame the Pioneers' slow start on bad habit. They began 5-3 and 4-4 the past two seasons, but finished 21-15-3 and 32-9-2, respectively.
Footnotes
DU has received a commitment from defenseman John Lee of Moorhead, Minn. Lee, the younger brother of North Dakota sophomore Brian Lee - the No. 9 overall NHL selection in 2005 (by Ottawa) - is playing for Waterloo of the U.S. Hockey League. John Lee might defer his enrollment at DU until 2008.
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