Goal Czar Packs His Bags For Norway

From: Budstikka
by Mette Sjølie

University of Denver Alum Luke Salazar [a.k.a. The Goal Czar to his DU fans] will begin his professional career in Norway. He signed a professional contract with the Frisk-Asker Tigers located near Oslo, Norway.

Former Norweigan and DU goaltender Lars Paulgaard also spent time with Frisk-Asker.

"Luke came to us and really wanted to play here. He has seen opportunities open up to other Americans after a good season in Asker. We checked contacts in the United States and he was highly recommended," said Ole Gerhard Haug.

DU Releases 2010-11 Ice Hockey Roster

(above) Click to enlarge roster

The only surprising omission from the University of Denver's 2010-11 Ice Hockey Roster is third-string goaltender Lars Paulgaard is no longer on the team. He will be replaced by Senior netminder Josh Rosenholtz.

Paulgaard's departure may explain why Nova Scotian goaltender Justin Collier is considering the University of Denver in this newspaper article published last week.

Drew Shore will wear #15 next season and his old #23 will be worn by his younger brother Nick.

Beau Bennett will wear #9, formerly worn by fellow Californians Rhett Rakhshani and Gabe Gauthier for the past eight seasons.

Best wishes to Lars in his future endeavours. He's quite a character and a great individual.

North Dakota 8 - Denver 3 FINAL

On a night when DU had a chance to clear up the WCHA title race, the Pioneers were steamrolled 8-3 by North Dakota. The game wasn't that close.

DU fell behind 4-0 in the first 16 minutes and Coach George Gwozdecky played Musical Chairs with his goaltenders for the rest of the evening. Marc Cheverie and Lars Paulgaard rotated throughout the the game.

Once the game was in hand for UND, DU resorted to chippy tactics to regain some luster. It remains to be seen if it will lead to a more inspired effort on Saturday night. Certainly DU will need to raise its level of play exponentially to salvage a split.

Box Score

Pairwise Rankings

Rocky Mountain News game recap

Grand Forks Herald game recap

Lars Paulgaard Desktop Wallpaper

Click picture to enlarge

Lars Paulgaard has only seen spot duty so far this season behind Chevy, but the "Norwegian Nightmare" is only a heartbeat away from driving the DU Express. Just grab the picture above or right click on it and "set as desktop background" and have the most flamboyant computer in the office.

Paulgaard & Jackson Given Props on WCH Blog

(above) Now we know where the Norwegian Nightmare's powder blue goalie mask came from

Chris Dilks at Western College Hockey Blog recalls Lars Paulgaard & Dustin Jackson's dramatic playoff victory while playing NAHL hockey for the Southern Minnesota Express. The triple overtime thriller was ranked is #4 favorite hockey game of all time and both DU players figured heavily in the outcome.

Paulgaard's New Goalie Mask Is Freakin' Cool

(above) We found this picture of DU goaltender Lars Paulgaard's new goaltender mask

This is what Lars Paulgaard's new goaltender mask looks like. He has been waiting for it for quite a while, and was forced to wear the mask from his old team the Southern Minnesota Express (NAHL).

Boone is on both sides one holding a US flag, the other side he's holding Paulgaard's native Norwegian Flag.

Note the Tower from Ritchie Center behind the hawk.

Would you like to see this version of Boone as DU's new mascot?
.

Norwegian Nightmare's Mask Draws Protests

(above) Lars Paulgaards mask is raising questions around the WCHA

Michigan Tech's fans were incensed this weekend as DU goaltender Lars Paulgaard took the ice for the final 6 minutes of the game on Saturday night. They claimed to be blinded by the powder blue goaltender mask that the DU Sophomore wears that in no way, shape or form matches any of DU's crimson, gold or white color scheme.

The helmet features some sort of a squirrel holding a hockey stick and even veteren DU hockey fans are puzzled by the symbolism displayed on the mask.

Paulgaard is from Vettre, Norway and has been dubbed "The Norwegian Nightmare" by DU hockey fans who have been known to appreciate a free spirit. Longtime DU fans are reminded of former goaltender Sinuhe Wallinheimo, who certainly had his quirks, but was a solid fan favorite at Denver in the '90s.

Before coming to DU, Paulgaard posted a 30-18-2 record with a 2.54 goals against average and .916 saves percentage for Southern Minnesota Express of the North American Hockey League in 2006-07. He was tied for league lead among goaltenders with eight shutouts.

Gwozdecky worked Paulgaard in for the final six minutes last night and he was called upon to make two stops before the Pioneers struck for the final time. He combined with Cheverie to make 21 saves for the game.

“(Lars) has been getting some mop-up time for us the last couple of weeks,” said Gwozdecky. “We’re trying to get him at least exposed to the environment that surrounds the game.”

Whatever the story, Paulgaard is perfect this season turning aside all 3 shots he's faced and sporting a 0.00 Goals Against Average in 19 minutes of work.

Paulgaard Won't Play For DU This Season
3rd String Goalie Is Ineligible

From: Mike Chambers Blog

Lars Paulgaard of Vettre, Norway, is ineligible this season. According to DU assistant Steve Miller, Paulgaard is enrolled in school, and can have a space in the locker room, but can’t play. If he graduates school in four years, he could apply for a redshirt this season, giving him four full years of playing time.

Lost season with the Southern Minnesota Express he posted a 30-18-2 record with a 2.54 GAA & .916 Save Percentage.

Flashy New Website Will Make DU A Perennial Power

Yesterday the University of Denver's Athletic Department unveiled its new website in partnership with Jump TV Sports. Check it out at DenverPioneers.com.

DU also published the official roster for the upcoming season. One surprise was that incoming Freshman goaltender Lars Paulgaard was on the roster after being mentioned "on again, off again" over the summer.

DU Signs Norwegian Goaltender
Lars Paulgaard Will Arrive This Fall

From: Owatonna People's Press
By IAN STAUFFER


LetsGoDU Update: It appears that Lars Paulgaard will enroll at DU but may not play for the Pioneers until sometime in 2008. - 9/3/2008


(left) Lars Paulgaard was on fire in the NAHL playoffs last season

OWATONNA - No one at the Southern Minnesota Express tryout camp had anything bad to say about former goalie Lars Paulgaard. Well, except that they didn't want him to leave.

Paulgaard, who is from Oslo, Norway, was eligible to play one more season of junior hockey. But the goalie will not be in Owatonna this winter. Southern Minnesota head coach Pat Cullen said Paulgaard signed a letter of intent last week to play at the University of Denver.

Paulgaard is the 14th player and third goalie in team history to sign a Division I letter of intent. Earlier this spring, Dusty Jackson became the first Express player to sign with Denver.

"It will be a lot different around here without (Paulgaard), not having that accent in the locker room" said Faribault native Matt Lapinski, who forged a strong friendship with Paulgaard last season. "We hung out all the time last year.

"We liked to watch TV. His favorite show was Cops. He always got a kick out of watching the stupid Americans."

Paulgaard will be in a similar situation in Denver this season that he faced in Owatonna last season. When the first puck dropped last year, he sat on the bench waiting for an opportunity to play.

That chance finally came less than 10 games into the season when starting goalie Blake Bashor chose to leave the team, putting Paulgaard at the top of the depth chart.

"What I really liked about him is that he just accepted his role as the second goalie and never complained," forward Andy Inderieden said. "When his time came, he just played hard and stood on his head all season."

Paulgaard ended up playing in 51 games and spent nearly 90 percent of the season's minutes in the crease.

He finished with a 30-18 record, including a North American Hockey League-leading eight shutouts, and compiled a 91.6 save percentage.

Lapinski compared last season's experience to what Paulgaard will see this season.

"When he first came here, he thought he'd just ride the year out," Lapinski said. "But then he picked it up and he was the starting goalie. I told him that's the way he's got to go into Denver.

"He's still got a shot. He'll be ready to play if he gets an opportunity."

Paulgaard will start this season as the backup to Peter Mannino, who compiled an 8-6-2 record last season with three shutouts in the tough Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

"Denver is one of the premier Division I college programs in the country," Express coach Pat Cullen said. "He's probably not going to get a lot of minutes right away because they've got Mannino, who is one of the better goalies in the country."

Even so, if Paulgaard brings anywhere near the same attitude to the Pioneers that he brought to the Express, Denver is getting its money's worth.

"He worked tirelessly in practice and in games," Cullen said. "He was a great goalie, but he was an even better person. His teammates loved him, and guys played hard in front of him because they liked him so much.

"We're sad that he's leaving because he was such a good goalie and person, but we're excited that he's going off to college."