(above) Ruegsegger takes a spill against Air Force on Saturday nightKyle Ostrow's goal with 56 seconds left in Overtime saved the University of Denver from a determined Air Force hockey team. With the game on the line, Ostrow manufactured a two on one break with teammate Anthony Maiani. As Ostrow attempted to pass to Maiani, the puck deflected off the Air Force defenseman and past startled Falcon goaltender Andrew Valkenburg.
Matt Donovan contributed a second period goal for DU on a shot from the blueline.
With eight games to play in the regular season, DU resumes the WCHA grind with a huge series against the University of Minnesota next weekend at Magness Arena. DU trails the University of Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State University by one point in the WCHA race, but the Pioneers have two games in hand.
Matt Donovan contributed a second period goal for DU on a shot from the blueline.
With eight games to play in the regular season, DU resumes the WCHA grind with a huge series against the University of Minnesota next weekend at Magness Arena. DU trails the University of Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State University by one point in the WCHA race, but the Pioneers have two games in hand.
Pairwise Rankings
WCHA Standings
Box Score
Denver Post Game Recap
Colorado Springs Gazette Game Recap
USCHO.com Game Recap
DU's Remaining Schedule
2/12 Minnesota
2/13 Minnesota
2/19 Michigan Tech
2/ 20 Michigan Tech
2/26 @ Minnesota State
2/27 @ Minnesota State
3/5 Colorado College
3/6 @ Colorado College
3/12-14 WCHA 1st Round Playoffs
3/18-20 WCHA Final Five-St. Paul, MN
3/26-28 NCAA Regionals (Worcester, St. Paul, Ft. Wayne, Albany)
4/8 & 10 Frozen Four (Detroit)
2/12 Minnesota
2/13 Minnesota
2/19 Michigan Tech
2/ 20 Michigan Tech
2/26 @ Minnesota State
2/27 @ Minnesota State
3/5 Colorado College
3/6 @ Colorado College
3/12-14 WCHA 1st Round Playoffs
3/18-20 WCHA Final Five-St. Paul, MN
3/26-28 NCAA Regionals (Worcester, St. Paul, Ft. Wayne, Albany)
4/8 & 10 Frozen Four (Detroit)
18 comments:
Time to make the sandwiches, boys!
Mr. Cheverie please pass the mustartd!
Looks like we need some meat in front of the goal. End of 1st Period 0-0.
DU wins in Overtime.
That one was a little too close for comfort. You can see why Air Force is dangerous in the NCAA Tournement. Excellent goaltending, gritty defensively & opportunistic snipers on offense.
DU was lucky to come out of there with a win. I didn't think we'd have that much trouble with them this year. Opps.
DU got lucky no doubt.
Wow! Hats off to the Cadets. They played us tough for the entire game. I love your rink--I had a blast yelling at the DU players and the refs--they can actually hear you since the rink is so small. I love the atmosphere--very family oriented. AFA fans were very polite and put up with all my loud yelling.
George said in the post game that AF was in the best shape of any team we've played all year--agreed, they worked incredibly hard all night. Absolutely smoked us on face offs. Our guys kept getting kicked out--Atlantic hockey refs are much tighter on faceoffs and our guys could adjust. They also call icing differently--much truer in theory although they messed many calls up on each side.
DU's PP went 0-4 and looked sloppy at best. AF fore and poke checked us tight all night and made us pass the puck frantically. AF did amazing job shutting down our first line--RR had no shots on net, has to be the first time that's happened all season. Anthony M continued to shine. Chevy was the reason we could steal it in OT. I would have been content with the tie the way AF played us.
Ruggs' effort in the OT made the game winner happen. He dogged the AF D man not once but twice and then fed K.O for the KO off of the Cadet into the net. AF can hold their heads high--they played a great game and it was very enjoyable to watch.
-MM
Great recap.
Thanks for posting.
Well I knew doing in this would be a tough test for DU but for the first time seeing a game in person on one of these small ice surfaces, I can see why DU struggles so much. They couldn't get their speed game going, passes could easily be intercepted, and Air Force didn't have to move very far to block shots. Clearly Air Force had the advantage most of the game and used the smaller rink much more efficiently then we could. Don't get me wrong though, I won't say Air Force was in it because of home ice... no way. They really played with fire tonight, laid out bodies, got under our star players skins and really as always played as a team. I thought both teams played good enough for the tie tonight but that one fluky bounce in OT... I'm still not sure how that happened. I saw the puck just bounce right over the leg pad and though I was yelling my lungs out I was still in a wtf moment. A small bounce that's all it took to separate the two teams tonight. Great win by DU, but even more so great effort by Air Force. They showed once again why they are dangerous for any team to play against and why I respect their team so much.
Again thanks Swami for the tickets. It was defiantly a venture into a new arena, and a different hockey culture.
Nice to get the W against the always motivated Zoomies, who play the Pios tiugh,. Glad non-cons are over for now and its back to the league meatgrinder.
DU has some work to do on defense. Giving up 46 shots to Air Force and 33 to Mercyhurst has to be a bit of a concern for the coaching staff at this point in the season. True to form, DU averaged 3 goals per night this weekend, just as they have all season, and when you get great goaltending, you can win with that. But you allow WCHA teams 30-50 shots every game and you'll be splitting and losing more than you sweep.
I'd like to see the opponent shooting 20-30 shots a game or less if DU wants to keep winning into the playoffs.
Cupcakes,anyone? ...........idiots
Flyboys played the best game of the season. Can we help it if playing DU is like going to the Super Bowl for these Colorado based teams?
Lucky win for DU, Chevy again saves this team. I'm still not convinced these boys are capable of making a solid, 100% concentrated post-season run......Dear God, please prove me wrong....
So here's my question....... how is it that AF gets wacked by Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, Army, UAH among others and nearly beats DU, supposedly the #2 in the country?? Someone explain that...
It can't just be "hard work"....
"Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard."
Not saying that DU wasn't playing hard, because they were.
Gwoz did a few things like give the 2nd Power Play unit first crack and more minutes than usual. He also may have used some line combos more than usual.
Air Force should dominate the AHA Tournament yet again and make the NCAAs.
A piece of humble pie, anyone?
Two championships in 40 years, now you're superbowl material........too funny.
"So here's my question....... how is it that AF gets wacked by Sacred Heart, Holy Cross, Army, UAH among others and nearly beats DU, supposedly the #2 in the country?? Someone explain that...
It can't just be "hard work"..."
Last night was the fourth time I've seen AFA play this year, and I saw an effort I didn't see in the previous three games (two wins vs. RIT, one tie vs. Bentley). I can't help but think they've fallen victim to the "all that matters is the conference tournament" mentality...Because in the AHA, it's true. But they stepped it up for the second-ranked in-state rival. They couldn't have played very well at CC on Friday (shut out on 20 SOG), but they were dominant for long stretches last night...As an AFA fan, the final outcome was tough to swallow given the Falcons' play and the fact that both DU goals were fluky...The first was a fluttering puck off a long shot, and the winner a deflection off the d-man.
Yeah, I know...They all look the same on the scoreboard. Great effort by the Zoomies and congrats to the Pios...Good luck the rest of the way. Unless we meet again the big tourney, of course ;)
Don't forget that Playing DU is the biggest game on the Falcons schedule each year, and Frank Seratorre was fired by DU in the early 90s. He wants to beat DU badly every year, and I think his team responds to that. They play their very best against the Pioneers each year.
Once again, Air Force proves to be a very tough and formidable opponent. Give those guys a lot of credit. They may not have the most talented roster, but they play their tails off every shift and play within their system. DU was lucky.
I'm not surprised that the game was close, but I am surprised that DU gave up so many shots. The Pios could have played better in front of Chevy--that was disappointing.
Agree with the earlier poster--I'm glad this weekend is over, glad that DU won both games, and glad there were no injuries. These late-season non-league games against unranked opponents are a headache. DU can now focus on the stretch run in the WCHA and a huge series with Minny looms.
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