News & Notes From Around PioNation

(above) Security video from the lobby of the Aloft Green Bay Hotel appears to show a pasty faced red head tampering with the fire alarm at 7 AM on Sunday morning

DU started four Coloradans against the Fighting Sioux on Sunday.  Drew Shore, Luke Salazar, Chris Nutini and John Ryder.  Certainly a great indicator on the strides youth hockey has made in the state.

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Mike Chambers Blog has a story about the fire alarms going off in the team hotel on Sunday morning.

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DU's inability to score on several good power play chances early in the second period, cost them some momentum according to the Denver Post.

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Good luck to DU's graduating Seniors: Joey Brehm, Jon Cook, Dustin Jackson, Anthony Maiani, Kyle Ostrow, Chris Nutini, Josh Rosenholtz, Jesse Martin & John Ryder.  Martin, Jackson & Ryder have eligibility left and may choose to play for DU next season or in the future.  The Seniors who depart, leave with over 100 career victories and four NCAA Tournament invites.  Both school records.

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Congrats to Patrick Wiercioch on recording his first NHL point with the Ottawa Senators. Chris Neil’s goal was originally credited to Nick Foligno, with assists to Neil and Jesse Winchester, but was later changed to Neil from Winchester and Wiercioch.

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Yesterday was the busiest day in LetsGoDU history with 2,407 visits.  This month almost 40,000 visits will be recorded.  Sometime over the summer we will receive our millionth visitor.  Thanks as always to our loyal readers, fans, alumni and students who have made this all possible.

Photos From DU's Senior Night

(above) DU seniors Jesse Martin, Anthony Maiani, Chris Nutini, Dustin Jackson, Joey Brehm, Jon Cook, Josh Rosenholtz and Captain Kyle Ostrow were honored during the first intermission

Chambers Blog Has DU Hockey Updates

Mike Chambers Blog has details on injuries to Beau Bennett & Chris Knowlton. He also mentions the goaltending rotation this weekend against Minnesota State. Finally he's hoping to see Joey Brehm light up the lamp his weekend.

Several DU Athletes Suffer Burglaries

(above) Williams Street near DU's campus

From: Channel 31 News

DENVER - Starting last fall, Denver University students living off campus near Williams street have had their homes broken into, and their electronics stolen. The victims share a common bond, almost all are athletes.

Joey Brehm was burglarized in November and again in December. The first time, while he was playing on the DU hockey team. The thieves stole flat screen TVs, video game systems, and iPods.

"Our whole street's been robbed, we have four or five friends that we know of that have been robbed," Brehm told us.

Ally Flury from the women's lacrosse team, and Peyton Sanders from the men's lacrosse team were also burglarized. They think someone is targeting athletes because their schedules are public so thieves know when the will and won't be home.

"I'm scared out of my mind, I've talked to my parents and my mom says you need to leave," Flury says.

"I'm more like ticked off, they know our schedules almost, it's almost like we're being watched." Sanders added.

Yesterday morning, four women from the ski team were asleep, at home, when someone broke into their house, reportedly threatening to kill anyone who looked at him.

All these crimes remain unsolved, and police are not releasing information about them. In fact, they are asking victims not to tell their stories or describe their attackers.

Denver University does not patrol the off campus area, but is taking pro-active steps to help students, advising them on how to secure their homes, and avoid crime.

Ruegsegger Tags Along To Support Teammates

From: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers

(left) Tyler Ruegsegger will be a supporting cast member in the Pioneer Travel Party that invades Grand Forks this weekend

College hockey teams are restricted to a 22-player travel party for regular-season games, but the University of Denver found an extra warm body at frigid North Dakota on Thursday.

In a show of team solidarity, and on the heels of last week's departure of leading scorer Brock Trotter, injured sophomore center Tyler Ruegsegger paid his way to Grand Forks. The Lakewood native, who has no chance of facing the Fighting Sioux tonight or Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena, is out with an abdominal injury.

DU's third-leading scorer also missed last weekend's series against Minnesota.

"He took care of his flight, and he'll pay for his hotel and all his meals. Everything," Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky said. "That tells you a little bit about his commitment to the team, which is awesome."

Gwozdecky was speaking by phone from somewhere between Fargo and Grand Forks, where the temperature was minus-16 with an expected low to fall to minus-33 early this morning. That's no place for a player with an inflamed stomach muscle.

"When you're injured, you don't make the travel party, but I love being around the team and support them in whatever way I can," Ruegsegger said. "We have such a close brotherhood, I was more than happy to pay my own way and come up here."

Ruegsegger said he brought his skates, just in case he finally gets clearance to step on the ice for the first time since Feb. 2, when he suffered the injury at Minnesota State.

"Hoping to get on the ice up here a little, no equipment or anything, and just skate and see how it feels," he said. "I'm hoping I'll be able to play next weekend."

The Pioneers also won't have freshman defenseman Chris Nutini (flu) this weekend, and will play their fifth and sixth games without Trotter, who signed with the Montreal Canadiens last week.

DU's last remaining extra players are freshmen defensemen Joey Brehm and Jon Cook, neither of whom has played this season. Both are on the trip.

North Dakota will be without head coach Dave Hakstol, who will serve a school-imposed two-game suspension for making an obscene gesture at a WCHA referee Feb. 2 in a game at Minnesota.

The Sioux, who are on a nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1), were idle last weekend. DU is coming off a 1-1 tie and 4-1 win against Minnesota.

"If we can get the kind of effort and execution like we did last week, we give ourselves a chance," Gwozdecky said. "That's all you can ask."

9-1-1...DU Adds A Last Minute D-man
Joey Brehm From Minnesota Will Anchor Blueline

The Denver Post article about the incoming recruiting class contained a last minute surprise for Pioneer hockey fans. Joey Brehm who played for Edina High School last season will come to DU this year instead of playing for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL.

Brehm played for four years at Edina H.S. As captain of the team last season he led the Hornets’ to the Class 2A state tournament with a record of 27-3-1.

McKeen's Hockey Propects Website had the following review of Brehm:

Joey Brehm (2007), D, Edina HS
Adequate size at 6-1 185, Brehm is a very solid two-way defenseman. Uses his frame to play the body fairly well, pins his man against the boards, battles hard in front where he ties up his man well, still could add bulk to generate more power behind his checks. Swift skater, who pivots well, skated backwards with some of the faster forwards off the rush maintaining a healthy gap before taking his man out, once even laying out a nice hip check. Could improve his first step quickness but his top end speed is impressive as he can rush the puck up the ice on his own, also has good lateral quickness as he can execute quick lateral cuts to avoid the opposition when handling the puck. Possesses soft hands for a defenseman, has some one on one trickery, and can stickhandle himself out situations in his own zone.

Decisive decision maker, on the penalty kill won a lot of battles down low then wasted no time icing the puck off the boards crisply not allowing the opposition to hold the zone. Uses his frame to really suffocate the opposition in tight, neutralized his man one on one for the most part. Brehm has plenty of skill and quarterbacked the power play. Has a cannon of a slap shot, which he likes to use even at the red line, very good one timer that is accurate. Creative in utilizing his shot, shoots for teammates sticks looking for tips or uses his shot as a pass to an open teammate at the side of the net. Above average passer, delivers the puck right through the middle of the slot past penalty killers on the power play. Looks the opposition off, delivers a crisp outlet pass, can stretch the ice with a long pass to catch the opposition a line change, has a fine saucer pass. Will kill the puck on the boards if he is danger instead of making an errant pass.

DU Hockey In Midst Of A Makeover
Huge Recruiting Class Will Rebuild DU Hockey

From: Denver Post
by Nick Groke

University of Denver hockey coach George Gwozdecky today announced the signing of forward Anthony Maiani of Michigan to a national letter of intent, the newest in a series of signings that will give the Pioneers a new look next season.

The team also said seven other players will join the team as freshman in the fall.

That brings to 12 the number of new recruits to the Pioneers roster — an unusually high number after four players in the offseason left the team early to join the professional ranks.

It will be DU's largest recruiting class in Gwozdecky's 13 years with the team.

"With the early departure of several players to the pro ranks, we will once again rely heavily on our freshmen to produce," Gwozdecky said.

Maiani, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound forward, had 48 points with 16 goals and 32 assists in 59 games for Sioux City of the United States Hockey League last season. He led the team with a +20 plus-minus rating.

DU also added seven other freshman: defensemen Joey Brehm of Edina, Minn., Jon Cook of Denver, Chris Nutini of Centennial, and John Ryder of Colorado Springs; forwards Stephen Cunningham of Boulder, Dustin Jackson of Omaha; and goaltender Eddie Guinn of South Burlington, Vermont.

Maiani joins four other players who signed letters of intent: goaltender Marc Cheverie of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia; forwards Tyler Bozak of Regina, Saskatchewan, and Jesse Martin of Edmonton and Kyle Ostrow of Calgary.