From: Denver Postby Mike Chambers
(left) DU Captain Andrew Thomas leads DU againts Maine this weekend
New Hampshire native Andrew Thomas grew up a typical New England kid. He worshiped the Boston Red Sox and East Coast college hockey.
This weekend, however, the captain of the University of Denver hockey team will put his childhood passions aside. He won't have an opportunity to see the Red Sox play in the ALCS live, and he'll do everything he can to help the Pioneers beat a Hockey East perennial power.
Thomas will lead 10th-ranked DU into its 59th season tonight to begin a two-game nonleague series against visiting Maine. It's also the season-opening series for the No. 15 Black Bears, who in April lost in the Frozen Four to eventual NCAA champion Michigan State.
For DU, which failed to advance to the NCAA Tournament the past two years, this weekend's games are being treated as a playoff series.
The Pioneers began the past two seasons a combined 1-4 against nonleague opponents. Two years ago, they opened with 5-1 and 4-2 losses at Maine.
In both seasons, DU earned home-ice advantage for the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs but came within a win or two away from making the 16-team national field. The Pioneers learned that a good WCHA season no longer guarantees an NCAA Tournament berth.
"Nonconference games have been our Achilles' heel the last couple years; that's what has kept us out of the tournament," Thomas said. "So that is our biggest focus, and it starts this weekend.
"We won't be looking forward to (next weekend's) Notre Dame series. But we know those games, just like Maine games, will be huge for us at the end of the year."
DU and Maine have a combined 22 freshmen, including 12 for the Pioneers, but both teams have experienced goaltending. Senior Peter Mannino will backstop DU and be opposed by 6-foot-7 junior Ben Bishop.
The most significant difference between the programs is DU returns most of its scoring and Maine lost seven of its top 10 snipers. Both teams were picked to finish fourth in their league by coaches.
DU coach George Gwozdecky points to how Maine humbled his program at this time two years ago. The Pioneers went into Orono as two-time defending national champions. Since, the Black Bears have made back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, and the Pioneers haven't gotten close.
"We remember those two games, and the outcome of both, and hopefully we'll have a chance to turn the tables on them," Gwozdecky said. "We're certainly looking forward to playing a national power like Maine."
This weekend, however, the captain of the University of Denver hockey team will put his childhood passions aside. He won't have an opportunity to see the Red Sox play in the ALCS live, and he'll do everything he can to help the Pioneers beat a Hockey East perennial power.
Thomas will lead 10th-ranked DU into its 59th season tonight to begin a two-game nonleague series against visiting Maine. It's also the season-opening series for the No. 15 Black Bears, who in April lost in the Frozen Four to eventual NCAA champion Michigan State.
For DU, which failed to advance to the NCAA Tournament the past two years, this weekend's games are being treated as a playoff series.
The Pioneers began the past two seasons a combined 1-4 against nonleague opponents. Two years ago, they opened with 5-1 and 4-2 losses at Maine.
In both seasons, DU earned home-ice advantage for the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs but came within a win or two away from making the 16-team national field. The Pioneers learned that a good WCHA season no longer guarantees an NCAA Tournament berth.
"Nonconference games have been our Achilles' heel the last couple years; that's what has kept us out of the tournament," Thomas said. "So that is our biggest focus, and it starts this weekend.
"We won't be looking forward to (next weekend's) Notre Dame series. But we know those games, just like Maine games, will be huge for us at the end of the year."
DU and Maine have a combined 22 freshmen, including 12 for the Pioneers, but both teams have experienced goaltending. Senior Peter Mannino will backstop DU and be opposed by 6-foot-7 junior Ben Bishop.
The most significant difference between the programs is DU returns most of its scoring and Maine lost seven of its top 10 snipers. Both teams were picked to finish fourth in their league by coaches.
DU coach George Gwozdecky points to how Maine humbled his program at this time two years ago. The Pioneers went into Orono as two-time defending national champions. Since, the Black Bears have made back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, and the Pioneers haven't gotten close.
"We remember those two games, and the outcome of both, and hopefully we'll have a chance to turn the tables on them," Gwozdecky said. "We're certainly looking forward to playing a national power like Maine."
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