University of Denver goaltender Sam Brittain recorded a shutout and David Makowski scored the lone goal as the University Denver defeated Western Michigan on Saturday night at Magness Arena.
Showing posts with label Brittain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brittain. Show all posts
DU 4 - Merrimack 0 FINAL
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| (above) Boone was a popular attraction on Saturday night at Magness Arena |
DU's elite blueliners recorded the first three goals of the game with Joey LaLeggia, Will Butcher and David Makowski scoring goals.
Daniel Doremus added his second goal in two nights.
DU was 3 for 9 on the power play.
DU 1 - Merrimack 0 FINAL
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| (above) Boone [top left] jumps into DU's first goal celebration of the year and the photo is published on the Denver Post website |
For the second year in a row Daniel Doremus scored a goal on opening night and the University of Denver skated away with a 1-0 victory over Merrimack.
Nolan Zajac was a surprise stater at forward and recorded an assist.
Sam Brittain recorded the shutout.
DU's Three Goaltenders Under The Microscope
USCHO.com looks at DU's goaltender rotation and what the future holds in the nets for the Pioneers. This time last season, Denver coach George Gwozdecky was looking to the
student section for goaltending help. He’s fortunate to have better
options this season.
DU 5 - Michigan Tech 1 FINAL
Its almost becoming routine. The 2012-13 University of Denver hockey team starts off slowly and builds momentum until the score is out of reach. Friday night was no different as the Pioneers defeated Michigan Tech 5-1 at Magness Arena. It was the third straight game the Pioneers tallied five goals.
Five different players scored for DU; Dakota Mermis, David Makowski, Quentin Shore, Joey LaLeggia & Nick Shore.
Once again Great Brittain was a rock between the pipes.
Seen at the Game: Retired Avs defenseman Adam Foote, Avs center Paul Stastny & Maple Leafs winger Tyler Bozak.
Seen at the Game: Retired Avs defenseman Adam Foote, Avs center Paul Stastny & Maple Leafs winger Tyler Bozak.
Gameday: News & Notes From Around PioNation
BREAKING NEWS: Not sure if any DU hockey players live in the Nelson Hall dormitory on campus, although its possible some Freshman players do. If so, they missed some sleep last night. The entire dorm was evacuated at 3:30 this morning due to carbon monoxide alarms going off.
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The Denver Post has an article to on the weekend series with Michigan Tech. The Post predcts that Great
Brittain to start Friday and sophomore Juho Olkinuora to come off a
team-imposed suspension and protect the nets Saturday.
DU 5 - UMass Lowell 1 FINAL
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| (above) DU's big victory earned them front page coverage in the online version of the sports section of the Denver Post |
Daniel Doremus scored a career-high two goals and Ty Loney, Nolan Zajac & David Makowski added one apiece.
Sam Brittain threw in 37 saves for good measure.
DU's Three-Headed Goaltender Rotation
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| (above) Great Brittain Started between the pipes on Saturday night against the University of British Columbia |
No mention if they would consider "redshirting" Olkinuora if Murray got off to a strong start.
Zac Larraza Becomes DU's Latest Hero
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| (above) Zac Larraza's game winning goal ended the longest playoff game in Final 5 history |
From: Star-Tribune
by Roman Augustovitz
Zac Larraza was wearing a white hard hat after Denver's 4-3, two-overtime triumph over Minnesota Duluth on Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in the Final Five semifinals.
Larraza was the game's unlikeliest of heroes. The fourth-line winger from Scottsdale, Ariz., had not scored a goal in 23 games this season. Yet he ended this 3-hour, 45-minute struggle on a rebound at 8:14 of the second extra session.
He really should have given his hard hat -- awarded after games to the Pioneers' hardest worker -- to the goalie. Sam Brittain faced 70 shots and stopped 67 in the longest game in Final Five history. It went 88 minutes, 14 seconds in ice time.
Larraza? "At most I played about 10 shifts," he said. "I had fresh legs in the overtime."
He scored on his only shot of the game, seconds after linemate Matt Tabrum clanked a shot off the right post.
DU 4 - Minnesota-Duluth 3 OT FINAL
(above) VIDEO: DU's 4th line comes to the rescue as Zac Larraza scores the game winner in double overtime
Freshman Zac Larraza scored in double overtime as the University of Denver continued its improbable overtime winning streak on Thursday afternoon in St. Paul. DU advanced to the WCHA Final 5 Championship game against North Dakota on Saturday night.
DU appeared to have the game well in hand with a 3-0 lead midway through the second period when Minnesota-Duluth staged their comeback.
Two second period goals and goal late by the Bulldogs in the third period set up a dramatic overtime.
The game winning goal by Larazza was his first career goal at DU. Sam Brittain made 67 saves for the Pioneers.
DU is now in a three-way tie for 8th place in the Pairwise Rankings. With the victory DU punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament next week.
Two second period goals and goal late by the Bulldogs in the third period set up a dramatic overtime.
The game winning goal by Larazza was his first career goal at DU. Sam Brittain made 67 saves for the Pioneers.
DU is now in a three-way tie for 8th place in the Pairwise Rankings. With the victory DU punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament next week.
DU Presents Challenge For Michigan Tech
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| (above) Brett Olson leads Michigan Tech with 30 points |
by Stephan Anderson
Michigan Tech and No. 9 Denver, who face off Thursday, are both happy to be at the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five this week, but for different reasons.
"Once athletes and coaches experience it, they want to come back," Denver coach George Gwozdecky said in a teleconference Tuesday afternoon.
Tech wouldn't know.
None of the Huskies' coaching staff or players has ever participated in the Final Five, which will be held at the Xcel Energy Center Thursday through Saturday. Tech last reached the tournament in 2007, and lost 4-0 to Wisconsin in its first game.
"Obviously we haven't been here in a while, but we're happy to be here," Tech coach Mel Pearson said in the teleconference. "I don't think anybody predicted us to make it to St. Paul."
But the Huskies put all the pieces together at just the right time in sweeping Colorado College in the first round of the playoffs.
The team never returned to Houghton, instead opting to fly straight to the Twin Cities and re-acclimate to the NHL-sized ice, and get a feel for the 18,064-seat Xcel Energy Center.
Pearson knows a thing or two about the arena having coached the University of Michigan to a runner-up finish in last year's Frozen Four. Tech watched the Minnesota vs. Dallas NHL game Tuesday night and will conduct a short walk-through-style practice this afternoon at the arena.
"As much as you want to say it's just another game, it's obviously big, but we played well at Joe Louis Arena in the same type of atmosphere and venue in our holiday tournament," Pearson said Tuesday night. "We brought the team to the game tonight ... so the team won't be wowed when they come into the building for practice and Thursday's game."
As with most playoff teams, Tech's success will depend more on executing the game plan that got them to the tournament than adjusting to an opponent - especially since winning the Broadmoor Trophy would require beating three different teams in three days.
The first of those teams, Denver, represents a rematch of one of Tech's most memorable regular season weekends. The Huskies beat the Pioneers 7-2 on Oct. 28, 2011, the most goals Denver has allowed in a game all year. Granted, three of those goals were on an empty net, but Tech followed that up the following night with a 2-2 tie with the then-No. 2 Pioneers.
Of course Pearson knows Denver learned from that experience and the Pioneers have been a different team in the second half of the season.
Denver, which won its first-round series 2-1 over Wisconsin, compiled an 11-4-1 record in the 2012 portion of the regular season.
"They've really come on defensively ... and they've made their game a lot simpler," Pearson said. "It's a little different style than earlier in the season where they played a more up-tempo style."
DU goaltender Sam Brittain also returned from injury in the second half of the year and has earned a 7-3 record and .925 save percentage. The Pioneers have three goaltenders who have played in at least 10 games and have a save percentage greater than .900.
Offensively, Denver has relied heavily on Drew Shore (50 points), Jason Zucker (44 points) and Nick Shore (39 points). The Pioneers have two other players with 28 points or more. Tech only has two players with at least 28 points: Brett Olson and David Johnstone with 30.
"We have no superstars, but we're ... really the consummate team where everybody is working well and contributing," Pearson said in the teleconference. "We're starting to play our best hockey. ... Unfortunately (home ice) didn't turn out like we wanted, but playing CC really helped our team prepare for this weekend.
"(Thursday) we'll go with the same lineup from both games at CC. It was a winning combination and everybody played pretty well," he added.
Thursday's faceoff is slated for 1:07 p.m. MT, and if Tech wins, it would face Minnesota-Duluth at 3:07 p.m. Friday. If Tech beat UMD, it would play in the championship game at 8:07 p.m. Saturday.
Denver Post: Great Brittain Shares The Load
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| Sam Brittain |
by Adrian Dater
Sam Brittain had it all — a full-ride hockey scholarship to a top college program, a sensational freshman season for the Denver Pioneers behind him, and the knowledge that the NHL's Florida Panthers wanted him to play for them some day.
Then, one day last spring, all it took were ligaments tearing from a bone to make him feel like he'd lost it all. Such is the precarious life of an athlete, but Brittain didn't have any big, guaranteed pro contract to console him. The kid who'd always had it come easy for him suddenly had to face the question: What if my career is over before it starts? [read entire article]
Zucker & Brittain Hit The Pepsi Center On Tuesday
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| (above) Jason Zucker watched the Minnesota Wild play the Avs on Tuesday night |
by Michael Russo
Jason Zucker, one of three Wild second-round picks in 2010 and a sophomore forward at the University of Denver, attended his third Wild game of the season at the Pepsi Center Tuesday night.
Like the good college student he is, Zucker, preparing to play Wisconsin this weekend in a first-round series of the WCHA playoffs, always uses the opportunity to study.
"It's fun to go out and see the Wild. I like watching hockey," said Zucker, who came with Pioneers teammate and Florida Panthers draft pick Sam Brittain. "I know a lot of hockey players that don't really enjoy watching hockey just because it engulfs their life so much as it is.
"That is not me. I enjoy watching and especially learning. When I go to a game, I don't sit there and cheer. I watch different things and try to learn the NHL game because my goal is to get there."
The big question many Wild fans want to know is, When will Zucker turn pro? Lately, and as recently as last week, General Manager Chuck Fletcher has said how exciting it is for the Wild that "six forwards are turning pro next year."
Fletcher is clearly including Zucker, although when pressed, Fletcher clarified it will be "up to the player. At the end of the year, we'll sit down with [Pioneers coach] George Gwozdecky and Jason and see where everybody feels he's at. We're not going to go in the middle of the night and take him out of there.
"There are going to be conversations. Certainly though, I think, we have opinions of what we feel would be right."
Zucker said he's made "no decision whatsoever" about his future.
"I am focused 100 percent on the present and what myself and Denver has to do to make it to the national tournament," said Zucker, who is tied for seventh in the WCHA with 20 goals and sixth with 42 points in 31 games. "I have seen numerous times that Chuck has said that, and I do respect the fact that he has said that and acknowledge [the possibility].
"Coming from one of the best GM's in the league, it's exciting to hear. But I'm not worried about that now. When the season comes to an end, it's something we'll talk about further with Coach Gwozdecky, my dad [Scott] and Chuck to figure out the best option for myself.
"As far as now, I'm coming back to the University of Denver."
DU Stuns Nebraska-Omaha In Overtime 3-2
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| (Above) The Goal Czar tied the game with 38 seconds remaining in regulation |
Freshman Daniel Doremus scored the biggest goal of his career as the University of Denver came from behind to win on the road on Saturday night.
DU trailed the University of Nebraska-Omaha 2-1 with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. UNO was called for a penalty. The Pioneers went on the Power Play and with a minute remaining pulled goaltender Sam Brittain to attack the Mavericks 6 on 4. The Goal Czar scored the game tying goal with 38 seconds remaining.
In Overtime, DU controlled the balance of play and it set up Daniel Doremus' heroic goal. Jason Zucker fed Doremus who fired a wrist shot past the UNO goaltender to end the game.
Drew Shore scored DU's first goal of the game and Sam Brittain made 38 saves.
DU is #11 in the Pairwise Rankings and will face the University of Wisconsin next weekend in the WCHA Playoffs in Magness Arena.
DU is #11 in the Pairwise Rankings and will face the University of Wisconsin next weekend in the WCHA Playoffs in Magness Arena.
DU To Start Great Brittain In Season Finale
DU 3 - UNO 2
FINAL
FINAL
Mike Chambers Blog has the details on DU's starting goaltender tonight. There's also an injury that will cause two lines to be shuffled.
Next Man Up.
DU Lineup
Loney - Drew Shore - Salazar
Zucker - Nick Shore - Doremus
Dewhurst - Ostrow - Jackson
Jacobson - Tabrum - Mermis
Phillips - Mayfield
LaLeggia - Lee
Ryder -Didier
Brittain - Murray
Zucker - Nick Shore - Doremus
Dewhurst - Ostrow - Jackson
Jacobson - Tabrum - Mermis
Phillips - Mayfield
LaLeggia - Lee
Ryder -Didier
Brittain - Murray
NHL.com Profiles DU vs. UNO Series
NHL.com breaks down the DU vs. UNO series this weekend. Drew Shore, Jason Zucker, Joey LaLeggia and Sam Brittain are also profiled.
The game will be telecast tonight at 5:30 PM MT on NBC Sports Network in High Definition. As usual NBC uses their NHL play-by-play and color analysts. The big improvement for viewers is using a full slate of cameras.
DU Clarion Profiles Sam Brittain
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| (above) Great Brittain will face North Dakota this weekend |
by Alex Proletti
After missing the first 25 games of the season, sophomore goaltender Sam Brittain, referred to by his teammates and fans as Great Brittain, returned to the Pioneer ranks on Jan. 28 and has played the last four consecutive games. Friday, Brittain recorded his second career shutout.
Brittain, a Canada native who played in Calgary before moving to DU, was out of the action for more than six months after having surgery on his ACL in June of 2011 [read entire article].
DU 3 - Wisconsin 0 FINAL
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| (above) Great Brittain is back between the pipes and all is well in PioNation |
The University of Denver continued a recent run of solid defense and timely goals to defeat the University of Wisconsin 3-0 on Friday night. DU improved to 14-3-3 all-time in the Kohl Center.
Sam Brittain recorded his first shutout this year after recently returning from offseason knee surgery. He made 28 saves.
Luke Salazar started the scoring in the second period with an unassisted goal off of a turnover.
Jason Zucker returned from a recent injury and scored in third period. Nick Shore rounded out the scoring with a 170-foot backhanded empty netter.
DU remained in third place as the top five teams in the WCHA all won on Friday night.
DU 4 - Minnesota 3 FINAL OT
On a night when the University of Denver sent a message by starting five Colorado natives plus Canadian goaltender Sam Brittain, Nick Shore was the hero for the Pioneers. Shore was not only born in Denver, but both his parents attended DU.
After scoring the game winning goal with less than two minutes remaining, Shore scored the game winner just 17 seconds into overtime, giving DU the 4-3 win. The victory put the University of Minnesota on the losing end of a sweep for the first time this season.
Following the loss, the Gophers sit just one point ahead of No. 3 Minnesota Duluth and two points ahead of Denver, with three weekends remaining in the race for the WCHA crown.
DU now sits tied at #7 in the Pairwise rankings.
Following the loss, the Gophers sit just one point ahead of No. 3 Minnesota Duluth and two points ahead of Denver, with three weekends remaining in the race for the WCHA crown.
DU now sits tied at #7 in the Pairwise rankings.
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