ST. PAUL, MN. - The University of Denver hockey team was missing two of their best players, Tyler Ruegsegger & Tyler Bozak, but DU rolled to one of their most convincing victories of the season. The afternoon game at the Xcel Center's WCHA semi-finals featured DU's stifling defense and transition game featuring timely goals by Brian Gifford, Kyle Ostrow & Patrick Wiercioch.
The 3-0 victory came despite DU playing a defensive first strategy and giving up a significant shot advantage to the Badgers. Courageous shot blocking, keeping Wisconsin away from the goal crease and Marc Cheverie's timely goaltending was the difference.
DU now improves to 7-0-0 all-time in Xcel Center Final 5's. The Pioneers will face the winner of tonight's North Dakota vs. Minnesota Duluth game. Saturday night's WCHA Championship game will be televised by FSN-Rocky Mountain at 6 PM MDT.
At least a few of DU's Bracketologists will be keeping track of the AHA playoff game between Rochester Institute of Technology-Mercyhurst game. A Mercyhurst victory will assure DU of a #1 seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
The 3-0 victory came despite DU playing a defensive first strategy and giving up a significant shot advantage to the Badgers. Courageous shot blocking, keeping Wisconsin away from the goal crease and Marc Cheverie's timely goaltending was the difference.
DU now improves to 7-0-0 all-time in Xcel Center Final 5's. The Pioneers will face the winner of tonight's North Dakota vs. Minnesota Duluth game. Saturday night's WCHA Championship game will be televised by FSN-Rocky Mountain at 6 PM MDT.
At least a few of DU's Bracketologists will be keeping track of the AHA playoff game between Rochester Institute of Technology-Mercyhurst game. A Mercyhurst victory will assure DU of a #1 seeding in the NCAA Tournament.
Box Score
Pairwise Rankings
Denver Post game recap
USCHO.com game recap
Milwaukee Sentinal-Journal game recap
5 comments:
Gwoz: Great job getting the team ready and focused.
Martin: Terrific effort despite an injury.
Wiercioch: Nice wrister to seal the deal and stick it to the whiners about his "defecting."
Chevy: Amazingly cool and collected in his first tournament start.
Mullen: Best two-way player on the ice today.
Lee: Gets my vote for Most Improved Player since October.
Great game to watch! DU kept the pressure on the entire game.Great Win!!!
Am interested to see if tomorrow's announcers can pronounce the extremely difficult name B-R-O-O-K-W-E-L-L. :-)
Vizoroo. Remember in Cheeseland and Gopherland pronouncing cheese is difficult.
I had a bar in Greensboro watch it.
Just finished watching on the DVR- What a pleasant surprise, especially after all of the downers from Swami ;-)
Mullen played great, and didn't give up the puck at all on stupid spin moves! Cheverie saw the puck well the whole game. I was very pleased with how the whole team played.
With the Lowell win over Northeastern, we pretty much lock a #1 seed, right?
GO STALOCK AND tUMD BULLDOGS!
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