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| (above) DU's first Ice Sheet of the season is also the first ever use of DU's new chiller system that was installed over the summer |
DU's Pro Camp kicks off today.
The Ritchie Center features a new $900,000 ice rink chiller. The more efficient chiller saves the university approximately $40,000 in annual operating costs, according to Allan Wilson, director of Facilities Services at the Ritchie Center.
The old chiller lasted 12 years. The new chiller was built next to the existing plant.
“We’ll keep it so there will be redundancy in the future,” said Wilson. “If one machine breaks down, then we would always be able to produce a hockey game”
40 comments:
Camp kicked off today not yesterday.
I heard they lit up those CC goalies like a christmas tree. damn sieves
Brace yourselves America. October 6th, Pepsi Center. It's official.... rumors squashed; nay-sayers silenced. The fat ladies are singing. The Thunderbirds and Pioneers. One team wins, one team loses. Canada vs. USA. Time to separate the men from the boys. Welcome to the epicenter of the universe....right here in Colorado. This will be huge. Mr. Arnold, how DO you do?
I expect the game to be completley sold out. I expect LetsGoDU to be hosting TWO VIP Suites for the game - one behind the home net, and one behind the opposite net. I expect a massive Pregame tailgate party in the Auraria lot. I expect a Friday night pep rally at the 16th street mall. I expect a rowdy crowd of LetsGoDU protesters to meet the UBC team bus as it exits off of I-25. This is our time, our team, our moment.
I expect 3,000 people rattling around in the Pepsi Center as DU plays 5 lines and all of its goalies and makes the game far closer than it should be.
I expect to have a very large bowel movement in the near future.
Chick-Fil-A for lunch, you know...
The exhibition game against a Canadian college is for all the marbles. Win, and we are champions of the world. Lose, might as well throw away my season tickets because the rest of the games don't mean anything.
It will certainly be like a late-90's Avs playoff game against the Red Wings atmopshere in the Pepsi Center come October 6th.
It's not out the realm of possibility that this will be the only hockey game in the Pepsi Center for the remainder of 2012
Why isn't this game part of the Friday or Saturday night season ticket packages?
After last year, I'm somewhat concerned about these Canadian schools now. Remember that they'll already be in their regular season by the time they get here. It's like they're on their last Guys Gone Wild summer vacation in AmeriKa... they like to come in here and hit like crazy and rough up the newbies. Add to the mix, that they will be playing in what will arguably be the biggest venue they'll see all year.... or that some of them have ever seen.
1:04, pretty surprised to see that it's not part of the full season ticket package either. First time I can ever remember DU not including the exhibition game. They do give free parking and half price admission.
I think we can lower our estimated attendance to 1,500.
I like the suite rental idea.
I'll see if i can find out what DU is going to do to promote this event.
Email today:
"Due to the Presidential Debate that is scheduled to be hosted in Magness Arena on Wednesday, October 3, the University of Denver's exhibition game vs. British Columbia on Saturday, Oct. 6, has been moved to the Pepsi Center.
"Please be aware that this game was NOT included in your season ticket package, however all DU Hockey Season Ticket Holders will receive a free parking pass for this game in your season ticket packages when they are mailed in mid-September. Additionally, DU Hockey Season Ticket Holders will be able to purchase tickets at half price and not have to pay any additional fees for this game. To purchase your half price tickets, please click here."
Looks like a great way to get no-one to show up. Who's going to pay for a game that doesn't count? A few diehards, myself included, but this really sucks.
Two questions:
1. Why can't there be a game at Magness 3 days after Barack goes home?
2. Why are the Pepsi Center tickets General Admission?
Two answers, sort of :-)
1. Not really sure.
2. Because the place will be 1/10th of capacity and there is no sense in assigning seats. Just sit where you damn well please...
The Pepsi Center - why, why, why? And now they are charging season ticket holders. The place will be empty. If they put it where the Cutthroats are going to play and gave free tickets to the students and season ticket holders, they might have a chance for a decent crowd. This is just going to be EMBARRASSING.
The circus would draw more.
Somehow this is Kroenkspawn's fault.
The Debate isn't like a normal event for the conversion crew. Miles and miles of media wires and cables will be run, plus the entire dasher set up is being removed. The seating will be changed. Once it's all set up, it will not even look like the Magness we know and love - so that's why they need the extra load-out time and to get the place back to normal.
This will basically be a road game for DU; but an important one nevertheless, because it's the Coach's only chance to see the Freshmen in competition before the regular season starts. They'll have just 60 minutes to make some important decisions as to how they approach the UML game on opening night.
Actually, I totally expected the Cutthroats to lure this game into the Coliseum, perhaps as a double header.
Max Power doesn't abbrieviate! In his name, each letter is as important as the one that preceded it. Maybe even *more* important... No, *as* important.
It will be a game to remember! Just me and the player's families in an arena with seating for over 18,000 people.
I'd like to respond to Rembrandt q. Einstein here. Does anyone have any conference updates. Is DU just done? Also in that last message from peg its aid they're adding another full size athHletic field for varsity athletics. Any idea on where that'll be?
FYI...the reason the exhibition game won't be in the Coliseum (the Cutthroats' barn) is because the Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus will be taking over the place from the 27th of September through the 7th of October.
Kinda hard to put down ice on top of elephant dung and trapeze artists...
You not only get to meet the player’s families but also the fans that post here and on USCHO.com. People like DG, Old Pio, DU78, CO14ers and DuBBie. Rumor has it that the he-who-shall-not-be named will be there to taunt not only our players but their families as well. Who wouldn’t pay extra to see that!
Honestly, they could have played this game in Broomfield or Co Springs.
Having a handful of fans in the Pepsi Center for this makes DU look cheesy. Not including this game in the package and forcing season ticket holders to buy new tickets for this is also a crowd killer. Most won't bother - they barely show for exhibition games when the tickets are in the package.
I'd rather save the Pepsi Center for a game could draw a 5-figure attendence - DU vs CC, UND, Michigan, Russia, Avalanche etc.
If the NHLCBA doesn't get resolved, I'd expect a bigger turnout; because like someone said, there's no telling when you'll see anything near this caliber of hockey in the Pepsi Center again...... maybe a High School tournament later in the winter ??
Who gets the revenue, if there is any, for these tickets? Maybe the Avs owners will publicize the event....
Since there are no hockey teams playing there any longer, the Broomfield Events Center doesn't (routinely) have ice. There's no way they would go to the hassle and expense to put it in for a single DU exhibition game.
Plus, there's a Sheryl Crow concert that night.
Colorado Springs COULD work...but only if the game would be played at Air Force. Since this will be Gwoz's first chance to see his freshmen in a game situation, it really should be on an NHL sheet - not the frozen lake that CC plays on.
Attendance is going to be dismal. I just don’t see a turnout from students or season ticket holders, let alone fans flying in for this game. I just hope they’re smart enough to have Stickney and Rycroft call the game. In the past DU has been too cheap to have anyone but volunteer or wannabe broadcasters cover exhibition games.
Wait, I'm confused...Don't we already have a wannabe in Stickney?
Yes. Attendance is going to suck at the exhibition game. But, what can DU (realistically) do about it?
Cancelling the game isn't an option and neither is rescheduling it. Holding it in Magness isn't an option because of the ongoing debate teardown. And, save for the Pepsi Center, all of the other applicable venues in town are already booked.
Assuming DU actually wants to hold the game in DENVER (as opposed to Colorado Springs or Longmont), that leaves DU with an exorbitant facility fee they are going to have to pay; and charging season ticket holders...the main group of people outside students that may actually buy a ticket...is really the only way they're going to recoup any costs, here.
In the end, DU is stuck and doesn't have a good way out.
EVERY pre-season game has shoddy attendance. Big deal. There certainly is no home ice advantage. It's a road game for both teams, in essence. Bottom line is, Denver's gotta get their lines together for opening night against U-Mass. Some stuff you just can't simulate or try in team practices; so you have opportunities like this to get another team on the other side of the ice and size up against them. These Canadian kids are typically bigger bodies. I imagine they will be hitting early and often. Brittain in the pipes for the full 60; if he goes to shit, throw in Jussi. Every guy has to forget they're in the Pepsi Center (if that's a big deal to them, I don't even know)... and concentrate on thier position. Freshmen, if you're thrown out there, do you best and stay in the game. After this game, the mistakes count..... DU needs to handle UMass and start this year off right.
Good point anon 7:39
They should probably play one goalie and maybe some freshman. That should really help the team roll 4 lines and compete.
Do you mouth breathers even go to these games? Who care where they play it or who shows up? I'm sure DG will bring his fat ass in for it from out of town right??? Nope... Nobody cares.
Let's talk gymnastics or something right? Bitches...
DU should have not only included the UBC exhibition game in the season ticket package, but also give every season holder 2 free tickets to this game for every season ticket they hold to bring friends.
That way, you might have a shot at 5,000 people in the house.
They'll be lucky to break 1,000.
When DU announced the schedule and started mailing out the season ticket packets, they didn't know where the exhibition game would be held.
The Debate threw the monkey wrench into the plan.
That being said, now that the game is at the Pepsi Center, I'd ramp up the Social Media, marketing & student planning.
There's no reason they can't draw 500+ students with a pregame DUGS BBQ, free train ride [all DU students have free rail passes] & the opportunity to party in LoDo after the game.
I'd say 50 students and 100 season ticket holders being double billed would be a better estimate. All DU can do now is try to spin 150 fans at the game as some sort of success.
Since DU is cancelling classes on Wednesday, debate day; and most professors are treating Thursday as a throw-away day, I have heard from several students that many on campus are planning to take off for a long weekend.
Really, no matter what DU does here, student attendance will be terrible.
That said...why is everyone treating this like it's a crisis?
- The game won't be televised, so it's not a like a national TV audience is going to see the lackluster attendance and somehow judge DU because of it;
- It's against an opponent DU has no need to impress with a gigantic fan showing; and most of all...
- It's a freaking exhibition game. Who cares?
Far out 3:14. If you want to see sell outs every night, wait until regular season starts...and there's no Avs....DU Hockey will be the hottest ticket in town, behind the Broncos.
If DG goes at least half the arena will be filled up by him alone
Fat jokes. You Badger fans are soooo funny.
"DU Hockey will be the hottest ticket in town" HAHAHAHAHA! Sorry.....that would require a student body that gives a shit about hockey. Pathetic at best!
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