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DENVER – The No. 2 College of Denver hockey workforce has an early-season check this weekend because the Pioneers journey to New England for a pair of top-10 matchups.
Denver (2-0-0) opens the journey on Friday in opposition to No. 10 Windfall Faculty (2-1-0) at Schneider Area earlier than going through off with No. 3 Boston Faculty (2-0-0) on Saturday at Conte Discussion board. Each video games start at 5 p.m. MT and shall be broadcasted on ESPN+.
The Pioneers are coming off a bye weekend following their season-opening sweep of Alaska Fairbanks on Oct. 7-8. Denver received 7-3 within the season opener earlier than incomes a 5-2 victory the following night time. DU, which started the season at No. 4, climbed to No. 3 within the following polls earlier than leaping up one other spot this previous Monday regardless of not enjoying any video games.
Denver was led offensively in America’s Final Frontier by juniors Jack Devine and Massimo Rizzo, with Devine combining for 4 objectives and two assists within the collection and Rizzo registering seven complete assists on the weekend. Devine had 4 factors (two objectives, two assists) within the season opener to match a private greatest whereas Rizzo had a career-high 4 helper on Oct. 8.
Eight DU freshmen made their collegiate debuts over the weekend, with Boston Buckberger, Zeev Buium and Kieran Cebrian additionally scoring their first profession objectives and Sam Harris choosing up his first factors with a pair of assists on Oct. 7. Goaltender Freddie Halyk guarded the pipes for the primary time as he performed the ultimate minutes of the third interval within the collection finale.
Junior Matt Davis began each video games in web, together with making his first profession opening-night begin on Oct. 7.
The Pioneers shall be enjoying their almost annual journey to the northeast, as that is the third-straight season they’ve journey to Massachusetts or Rhode Island. DU has performed not less than one sport in New England in 9 of the final 10 full seasons (none in 2019-20 or COVID-shortened 2020-21 season), and this system made this very same journey in October 2021—enjoying at Windfall on Friday earlier than making the hour drive to face BC on Saturday.
DU is 19-16-0 all-time versus the Boston Faculty Eagles in a collection that dates again to 1968, whereas proudly owning a 9-10-3 mark in opposition to the PC Friars.
Denver hosted Windfall at Magness Area final season on this very weekend, successful 4-1 and 3-2 respectively, with Devine tallying the overtime-winning objective within the collection finale to cap the Pios’ 2022 Championship banner-raising night time. DU’s final sport versus Boston Faculty was on that 2021 journey, falling 5-1 in Chestnut Hill.
NEW ENGLAND CONNECTIONS: Denver Athletic Director Josh Berlo earned his undergraduate diploma at UMass in 1999 … Aidan Thompson performed prep faculty hockey at Berkshire Faculty in Sheffield, Mass., for 2 seasons from 2018-2020 … DU sports activities efficiency director Matt Shaw labored 5 years with athletic departments within the Boston space: 4 at Boston College and one at Harvard. He earned his bachelor’s diploma in 2010 and grasp’s in 2011 from BU.
HISTORY VS. PROVIDENCE: The Pioneers are 9-10-3 all-time in opposition to the Friars and are 3-5-1 at Windfall Faculty. Denver is 3-2-2 within the final seven matchups in opposition to Windfall. DU received each video games in opposition to PC final season when it raised its 2022 Nationwide Championship banner to the rafters of Magness Area, successful 4-1 and 3-2 in additional time on Oct. 21-22. Jack Devine scored the overtime-winning objective to finish the weekend sweep on Oct. 22. Denver is ready to play at Schneider Area for first time since Oct. 22, 2021 when it final made this journey to New England to play PC and BC. The Friars received 6-5 in that final matchup at house, utilizing 5 third-period objectives to erase a 4-1 deficit after 40 minutes. DU and PC have squared off as soon as earlier than within the nationwide match, with the Friars successful 4-1 within the 2015 regional closing in what was a de facto house sport with it being held in downtown Windfall on the Dunkin’ Donuts Middle.
SCOUTING THE FRIARS: Windfall has performed video games in every of the primary two weekends of the 12 months and sports activities 2-1-0 document. The Friars started the season by successful 4-2 at No. 5 Michigan on Oct. 7. PC misplaced by one objective within the collection finale in Ann Arbor on Oct. 8, falling 5-4, however the workforce responded with a 7-1 win in opposition to Stonehill in its house opener final Friday. Seven completely different Friars scored within the sport in opposition to Stonehill and 7 had a number of factors, led by three assists from Luke Krys. Krys leads the workforce with 5 factors (all assists), whereas Riley Duran, Jaroslav Chmelar and Bennett Schimek all have 4 factors, with every recording two objectives and two assists. Goaltender Philip Svedeback has began in all three video games and sports activities a 2-1-0 document, 2.57 goals-against common and .908 save proportion.
CONNECTIONS WITH PROVIDENCE: Cale Ashcroft and Taige Harding are each from St. Albert, Alberta … Boston Buckberger and Windfall’s Hudson Malinoski are each from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan … Sam Harris was teammates with Clint Levens (2021-2023) and Austen Mays (2021-22) with the Sioux Falls Stampede … Philip Svedeback performed on the USHL’s Dubuque Combating Saints in 2021-22 with Denver’s Tristan Lemyre and Lucas Olvestad … Kieran Cebrian performed with Guillaume Richard in 2020-21 and was teammates with Tanner Adams and Graham Gammache for 2 seasons from 2021-2023 with the Tri-Metropolis Storm … Shai Buium performed on the USHL Sioux Metropolis Musketeers in 2020-21 with Bennett Schimek … Miko Matikka and Jaroslav Chmelar each performed along with Jokerit’s U18 and U20 junior squads in Finland from 2020-2022 … Denver’s Sean Behrens, Jack Devine, Zeev Buium and Alex Weiermair and Windfall’s Chase Yoder and Brett Berard are merchandise of the U.S. Nationwide Workforce Improvement Program … Massimo Rizzo (Burnaby) and Nick Poisson (Vancouver) are each from the better Vancouver space in British Columbia … Tristan Lemyre (Mirabel) and PC’s Guilluame Richard (Cap-Sante) are each from Quebec … PC goalie Philip Svedeback (Vaxjo) and skaters Marcus Brannman (Bromma) and Liam Valente (Marsta) and Denver defenseman Lucas Olvestad (Stockholm) are all from Sweden.
LAST TIME VS. PROVIDENCE (OCT. 22, 2022): Jack Devine scored 86 seconds into additional time to carry the No. 4 Pioneers to a 3-2 win over the No. 11 Windfall Faculty Friars on an evening when the Pioneers additionally lifted their 2022 nationwide championship banner to the rafters of Magness Area. Windfall pressured the additional session after Taige Harding tallied with 2:56 remaining in regulation, however Devine despatched the homecoming crowd of 6,324 to the exits in a greater temper after taking a go from Rieger Lorenz within the slot and scoring with a wrister that beat Friars goalie Philip Svedback glove-side.
HISTORY VS. BOSTON COLLEGE: Denver and Boston Faculty are set to satisfy for the primary time because the Pioneers’ final journey to Chestnut Hill early within the 2021-22 marketing campaign. The Eagles picked up a 5-1 win over the Pios in that outing on Oct. 23, 2021, stopping a three-game successful streak by DU at the moment. Denver is 5-3 within the final eight conferences in opposition to Boston Faculty and owns an all-time document of 19-16-0 in opposition to the Beantown program in a collection that dates again to 1968. Denver is 5-5 all-time on the street in opposition to BC and 11-10 as the house workforce. The faculties have met 4 instances at impartial websites, with DU proudly owning a 3-1 mark and is 2-1 in matchups within the nationwide match.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES: Boston Faculty has performed single video games in every of the final two weeks, successful each conferences. BC hosts RPI on Friday night time earlier than taking up Denver on Saturday. The Eagles started the 12 months by spoiling Quinnipiac’s 2023 nationwide championship banner-raising ceremony by successful 2-1 in additional time, with Cutter Gauthier scoring the game-winner with lower than 10 seconds remaining within the additional interval. BC received 4-2 in opposition to Lengthy Island in its house opener final Friday as 11 completely different Eagles recorded not less than a degree, led by a objective and an help by Andre Gasseau—who leads the workforce in scoring with three factors on the season (2g/1a). Goaltender Jacob Fowler has began each outings this 12 months and has a 1.45 goals-against common and .929 save proportion.
CONNECTIONS WITH BOSTON COLLEGE: Lucas Olvestad and Boston Faculty’s Jacob Bengtsson are each from Stockholm, whereas BC’s Oskar Jellvik (Taby) can be from Sweden … Alex Weiermair (Los Angeles) and the Eagles’ Andre Gasseau (Backyard Grove) and Adam Hreschuk (Lengthy Seashore) are all from the L.A. space … DU’s Sean Behrens (Barrington) and Jack Devine (Glencoe) and BC’s Gabe Perreault (Hinsdale) are all from the Chicago space … Boston Faculty has 11 gamers from the U.S. Nationwide Workforce Improvement Program on its workforce, with Denver’s Sean Behrens and Jack Devine enjoying two years on the NTDP with BC’s Aidan Hreschuk and Andre Gasseau, whereas Zeev Buium and Alex Weiermair had been teammates with Drew Fortescue, Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, Aram Minnetian and Will Vote on the program final season.
LAST TIME VS. BC (OCT. 23, 2021): No. 8 Denver fell 5-1 on the No. 10 Boston Faculty Eagles at Kelley Rink at Conte Discussion board. Senior Ryan Barrow scored for the Pioneers early within the third interval to make it a 2-1 sport, however the Eagles added three objectives within the closing six minutes of the competition to safe the win. Brett Stapley and McKade Webster garnered assists for DU, whereas goaltender Matt Davis made 23 saves on 27 pictures. Drew Helleson had three factors (1g/2a) for BC, as teammates Jack McBain (1g/1a), Colby Ambrosio (0g/2a) and Mark McLaughlin (0g/2a) additionally had multi-point nights. Eagles netminder Eric Dop stopped 26 pictures.
NON-CONFERENCE MATCHUPS: DU will play 12 non-conference video games in opposition to eight completely different opponents this season, with six of the matchups approaching the street (The Pioneers solely performed two street non-league video games in 2022-23). After opening the season at Alaska Fairbanks on Oct. 7-8, Denver will make a visit to New England for single-game outings at Windfall and Boston Faculty on Oct. 20-21 and journey to the desert to face Arizona State on Nov. 10-11. NCAA newcomer Augustana (Oct. 27) and in-state foe Air Power (Oct. 28) go to Magness Area for Homecoming Weekend, and the Pioneers will even host two-game units vs. Yale (Nov. 24-25) and Niagara (Jan. 5-6) in the course of the holidays.
IN THE POLLS: Denver moved as much as No. 2 within the nation in each the USCHO.com and USA Hockey/The Rink Dwell ballot following its bye week. DU has risen every week because the Pios had been at No. 3 the earlier Monday after starting the season at No. 4 within the USCHO.com rating and No. 5 within the USA Hockey/The Rink Dwell ballot.
The NCHC has 5 groups ranked, tied for probably the most amongst all conferences with the Massive Ten. The league can be tied the Massive Ten and Hockey East with probably the most within the prime 10 with three, as North Dakota is at No. 5/5 and Western Michigan is at No. 9/10 within the rankings. Minnesota Duluth (14/14) and St. Cloud State (20/18) are additionally inside the highest 20, whereas Omaha and Colorado Faculty are each receiving votes.
LAST TIME OUT – SWEE IN ALASKA: The Pioneers opened the 2023-24 marketing campaign with a weekend sweep in America’s Final Frontier, successful 7-3 on Oct. 7 and 5-2 on Oct. 8 at Alaska Fairbanks. Within the season opener, seven completely different Pioneers recorded a number of factors, together with Jack Devine registering two objectives and two assists, Massimo Rizzo recording three helpers and Kent Anderson scoring twice.
DU accomplished the sweep on Sunday with Rizzo choosing up 4 assists, Devine burying two power-play objectives and Sean Behrens contributing three helpers as properly. Zeev Buium and Kieran Cebrian additionally scored. Goaltender Matt Davis began each video games, making 20 and 24 saves, respectively.
DEVINE EARNS TOP FORWARD HONORS: Junior Jack Devine was named the NCHC Ahead of the Week on Oct. 9 after combining for six factors within the two video games in Alaska. Devine tied a profession excessive with 4 factors on two objectives and two assists on Oct. 7 earlier than including two extra tallies on Oct. 8. Total, he registered 4 power-play factors (3g/1a) within the two video games and tallied the game-winning objective in every outing.
That is Devine’s second profession Ahead of the Week award as he additionally earned the respect final season on Feb. 20. Total, the Glencoe, Illinois, native has now received 4 weekly awards from the convention in his DU tenure, as he was twice named Rookie of the Week as a freshman in 2021-22.
RIZZO’S HELPING HAND: Junior Massimo Rizzo completed the weekend in Alaska with seven mixed assists, recording three helpers on Oct. 7 earlier than setting profession excessive with 4 on Oct. 8.
That is probably the most assists he is had in a two-game stretch in his profession and ties his private greatest for factors in a weekend. His earlier profession excessive for assists got here in back-to-back video games final season on Oct. 28-29 at Miami, recording three apples within the opener earlier than having a objective and three helpers the following night time. That collection additionally marked the one different time in Rizzo’s profession the place he is mixed for seven factors.
WEEKEND OF FIRSTS: A number of Pioneers picked up their first profession objectives and factors in Alaska, as sophomore Kent Anderson and freshman Boston Buckberger each tallied on Oct. 7. Rookies Zeev Buium and Kieran Cebrian scored their first NCAA markers the following night time on Oct. 8. Freshman Sam Harris picked up his first profession factors with two assists within the Saturday’s opener.
Total, eight completely different gamers made their collegiate debuts, with Cale Ashcroft, Garrett Brown, Buckberger, Zeev Buium, Cebrian, Harris and Miko Matikka skating of their first contests on Oct. 7. Freddie Halyk served because the backup goalie each nights and noticed his first sport motion late within the third interval on Oct. 8.
NOTABLES
- DU was enjoying regular-season video games on school hockey’s opening weekend for the primary time since final visiting Fairbanks to play the Nanooks on Oct. 5-6, 2019.
- The Pioneers are actually 12-3-2 all-time in opposition to Alaska Fairbanks and are 7-2-0 because the street workforce.
- Denver improved to 43-25-7 all-time in season openers, 13-3-1 within the final 17 first outings and 5-1-1 prior to now seven opening-night contests.
- Denver’s seven objectives within the season opener was its most within the first sport of the 12 months since successful 8-3 in opposition to Arizona State on Oct. 8, 2021.
- Sophomore Kent Anderson and freshman Boston Buckberger scored their first profession objectives on Oct. 7. The final time that DU had two gamers scored their first profession objectives in the identical sport was final 12 months when Aidan Thompson and Jared Wright did it on Nov. 11, 2022 at North Dakota. The final time a pair of Pioneers that tallied their first markers within the season opener was Massimo Rizzo and Carter Mazur on Oct. 8, 2021 vs. Arizona State.
- Along with scoring his first objective on Oct. 7, Anderson additionally earned his first-ever multi-point outing by including one other tally later within the sport.
- Senior ahead Connor Caponi appeared in his one centesimal profession sport on Oct. 7.
- Sean Behrens matched a profession excessive with three assists/factors in a sport on Oct. 8. It was the third time he is had that many helpers in a contest in his profession and his fourth three-point sport of his DU tenure.
- The Pioneers’ sport on Oct. 8 was their first Sunday sport since going through Omaha in a rescheduled contest as a consequence of COVID-19 on Jan. 16, 2022.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Denver is welcoming 10 freshmen to its roster this season, one of many largest incoming lessons in recent times. The final time DU had 10 freshmen on its roster was in 2018-19, one season after having 11 freshmen in 2017-18. The Pioneers’ 10 freshmen are tied for the seventh-most within the NCAA this season.
Denver’s age initially of the season is 20.9 years-old, tied with Harvard for the second-youngest within the nation behind Boston Faculty (20.6). Freshman defenseman Zeev Buium is the second-youngest participant within the nation, as he will not flip 18 years previous till Dec. 7. Boston College’s Macklin Celebrini is the youngest, turning 18 subsequent summer season on June 13, 2024.
CAPTAINING THE SHIP: Senior ahead McKade Webster was named the 94th captain in program historical past earlier this week on Oct. 2 after serving as an alternate in the course of the 2022-23 marketing campaign. Webster, who beforehand served as a workforce captain with the USHL’s Inexperienced Bay Gamblers in 2019-20, is joined on DU’s management group by three alternates in senior Connor Caponi and juniors Carter King and Massimo Rizzo.
FAVORITES OF THE NCHC: The Pioneers had been voted to win the NCHC common season for the second straight season within the convention’s annual preseason media ballot. That is the third time that DU has been voted the preseason favourite, because it additionally earned the respect in 2017-18 and 2022-23 following its nationwide championship victories.
PRESEASON HONORS: Junior defenseman Sean Behrens and ahead Massimo Rizzo had been each chosen to the NCHC’s 2023-24 Preseason All-Convention Workforce in a vote by the media. Denver and North Dakota had been the one groups to have two gamers on the six-man workforce, whereas Colorado Faculty and St. Cloud State had been each represented by one athlete every. Rizzo collected 24 of a doable 27 votes, whereas Behrens earned 19 votes.
PRE-SEASON MISCELLANEOUS
- Massimo Rizzo entered the season with 82 factors, the Tenth-most amongst energetic gamers within the nation; his 53 assists had been tied for the fifth-most; and his +43 plus/minus score was tied for the second-highest behind solely Quinnipiac’s Jacob Quillan.
- Sean Behrens’ 44 assists heading into 2023-24 had been the eighth-most amongst energetic defensemen within the nation.
- The Pioneers had been returning 92 objectives (fifth-most within the NCAA) and had been bringing again the fourth-most factors with 256.
- Denver entered this season tied because the Tenth-biggest workforce (190.2 kilos) and tied for the second-youngest with Harvard (20 years, 9 months).
- Zeev Buium (Dec. 7, 2005) is the second-youngest participant in school hockey behind Boston College’s Macklin Celebrini (June 13, 2006).
- Denver’s 10-member freshmen class is tied for the seventh-largest within the nation, whereas its three seniors are tied for the Twelfth-fewest.
- Massimo Rizzo is considered one of six returning All-Individuals from 2022-23 and is considered one of 14 gamers within the nation coming again this 12 months after being named to an all-conference first-team final season.
- Denver and St. Cloud State are the one groups within the nation to make the NCAA Match in 9 of the final 10 years, and DU is considered one of seven groups to make it not less than 4 instances within the final 5 seasons.
- David Carle is the second-youngest coach within the NCAA, turning 34 on Nov. 9; solely Lengthy Island’s Brett Riley is youthful (turns 33 on Jan. 25). He’s considered one of 23 head coaches within the nation to be teaching at his alma mater.
TICKETS: Single-game tickets, in addition to 5-Sport Packs and full and half-season ticket plans are all obtainable to buy here.
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