Coach Gwozdecky Goes For 300th Win At DUFrom: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers
Rakhshani, who led the University of Denver hockey team with 26 assists last season as a freshman, will return to the lineup after missing the season's first two games to recover from a concussion.
"Feeling good, ready to rock," Rakhshani said Wednesday from Chicago as the Pioneers boarded a bus for South Bend, Ind. "It was hard sitting out, because you always want to be part of it and out there contributing. And it was opening weekend. But it really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be because our team played so well."
The fifth-ranked Pioneers, who opened last weekend at home with 2-0 and 3-1 victories over Maine, face the No. 11 Fighting Irish tonight and Friday at the Joyce Center. The nonconference series begins a day earlier than normal to make room for Notre Dame's homecoming festivities and Saturday's football game against Southern California.
Rakhshani, a California native of Iranian dissent, likely will miss the Dec. 28-29 Denver Cup to play for Team USA in the World Junior Championship. He and classmate Tyler Ruegsegger had strong evaluation camps in August and are good bets to make the under-20 American all-star squad.
Rakhshani and Ruegsegger might ultimately play on a line with classmate Brock Trotter, who had a team-high 40 points last season. Rakhshani was third in scoring and Ruegsegger fourth, spearheading the freshman class to put up 44 percent of the team's points.
Forming the suberb sophomore line is dependent on how the other young forwards develop. Senior Tom May was the only upperclassmen that played forward last weekend.
"I love the way our team is playing," Rakhshani said. "All the forwards are looking great. We're really looking like a seedy team this year, based on a lot of puck movement. And that's really my game, keeping my feet moving and moving the puck."
DU coach George Gwozdecky said Rakhshani is "going to help. He's a big offensive catalyst. To have guys like that in your lineup are necessary and invaluable, and yet, we're a team that has pretty good balance."
No matter what happens on the ice against the Irish, Gwozdecky will take his entire program — 28 players, assistant coaches and support staff — to Saturday's football game.
"It's something I set up a long time ago," Gwozdecky said. "It's an opportunity to experience something that very few people get a chance to do, going to a major college football game at a place that's one of the greatest football venues off all time. A great majority of our team has never been to a major football game like this.
"So it will be a real nice treat for us, based upon how we do in this series."
A win tonight would give Gwozdecky his 300th at DU. In 14 seasons, he has compiled a record of 299-191-40 and captured two NCAA titles.
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