From: Denver Post by Mike Chambers
Goaltending is undoubtedly the University of Denver's biggest strength. However, the unselfish and often overlooked penalty-killing performances from the players in front of Glenn Fisher and Peter Mannino are hidden behind the goalies' stout statistics.
Fisher and Mannino rank first and second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in save percentage at .933 and .927, respectively. Nationally, they are fourth and ninth, and the only WCHA goalies in the top 10.
While taking nothing away from his two goalies, DU coach George Gwozdecky said fourth- line senior forwards Steven Cook and Mike Handza have been equally good in keeping the puck out of the DU net. Cook, Handza and sophomore J.P. Testwuide make up a line that takes regular shifts at even strength and is among the first two forwards to be sent out in a penalty-killing situation.
The Pioneers, who are a work in progress offensively - they rank 35th among 59 Division I teams in goals-per-game (2.82) and power plays (15.7 percent) - have not allowed a power-play goal in three consecutive games and only one in their past 19 short-handed situations. They have killed off 88.3 percent of their penalties for the season, which ranks sixth nationally.
Gwozdecky said volunteer coach Matt Laatsch, a former defenseman and captain of DU's 2005 NCAA championship team, and longtime assistant Steve Miller have developed a penalty-killing system around getting in position to block shots. The system requires absorbing shots off some of the most tender and nonpadded parts of the body - such as the stomach and inside of the forearm - and works only if forwards such as Cook and Handza are willing to take the pain.
"Matt Laatsch and Steve Miller have done a real good job of taking our strengths as an unselfish penalty-killing team and really highlighting that," Gwozdecky said. "Any good successful penalty kill is based on blocking shots. It's been emphasized, and our penalty-killers are proud of what they can accomplish with blocking shots. They've really accepted it and have fierce pride in killing penalties."
The Pioneers (14-6-2, 8-4-2, second in WCHA) take a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) into this weekend's two-game series against visiting Wisconsin (8-10-2, 5-6-1 tied for seventh), the defending NCAA champion.
DU blocked 25 shots in Saturday's 2-1 Denver Cup title-game victory over Massachusetts- Lowell. The River Hawks attempted 75 shots and missed the net on only 13 of them. Fisher stopped the first 36 shots that were on target, but lost his shutout when the visitors scored with 4.3 seconds to play.
It was the only goal DU allowed in the Denver Cup and marked the 17th time in the past 18 games the Pioneers allowed three goals or fewer. Mannino backstopped a 3-0 victory over Mercyhurst in Friday's semifinals.
"UMass-Lowell played very well, and gave us fits at times, and probably had more scoring chances," Gwozdecky said. "But like we've been throughout the year, we were opportunistic at the offensive end and got a sensational performance from Glenn Fisher. I couldn't be prouder of (Fisher and Mannino). We'll ride those guys and our penalty-killers as long as we possibly can."
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