December
23, 2003
Wells Fargo Denver Cup
Magness
Arena • Denver, Colo.
THE
FIELD
Saturday,
December 27
Nebraska-Omaha
vs. Yale, 6:05 p.m. ET
Niagara at Denver, 9:05 p.m. ET
Sunday,
December 28
Third-Place Game, 6:05 p.m. ET
Championship, 9:05 p.m. ET
LAST
YEAR
The host Pioneers, who entered the 2002 Denver Cup having gone 0-3-1 in their last four contests, captured the championship by not allowing a goal in two tournament games. Denver blanked Miami, 6-0, in the first round behind 30 saves from then-senior goaltender Wade Dubielewicz and whitewashed New Hampshire, 4-0, the following night as Adam Berkhoel turned aside 30 Wildcat shots.
INTERESTING
HISTORICAL FACT
Yale is the only team in this year’s Denver Cup outside of the hosts to make an appearance in this holiday tournament. The Bulldogs dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to Denver in the 1996 championship game. The Pioneers had beaten Maine in overtime the previous night, while Tim Taylor’s squad earned a title game berth with a 7-3 decision against Air Force.
WHO
TO WATCH
Both Nebraska-Omaha and Yale have been uneven at best so far this season. Whod’ve thunk the best game in this tournament might be the opening round match between Denver and Niagara?
Niagara, the College Hockey America leader at the break and winner of three of its last four games, will showcase a potent offensive attack led by senior Barrett Ehgoetz (13-11—24), freshman Jeremy Hall (11-7—18) and senior Chris Welch (6-12—18). Coach Dave Burkholder hopes senior Joe Tallari, who has struggled to score goals thus far, is back in the groove after netting a pair of markers in the Purple Eagles’ come-from-behind win against UMass Lowell earlier this month.
Denver, on the other hand, wants to hear nothing about come-from-behind wins. The Pioneers squandered a six-goal lead against Minnesota State, Mankato, Saturday, turning a 7-1 advantage into a bizarre 8-7 loss. The weekend offers a good opportunity for DU to regain its swagger at home – they’re 3-4-1 at Magness Arena this season. When the Pioneers limped into the Denver Cup last season, it was goaltending that sparked the turnaround. If Adam Berkhoel can simply be Adam Berkhoel, DU has enough offense to get the job done. Defense, however, is another topic.
Yale provides an opportunity for Mile High hockey fans to see senior forward Ryan Steeves, a Colorado Avalanche draft pick who’s scored 12 points in 13 games. Pioneer fans, meanwhile, are familiar with Nebraska-Omaha – the Mavericks have faced DU a number of times, most recently in the 2002 Maverick Stampede, which the Pioneers won. UNO had little experience in the lineup at the beginning of the season, and that was before senior forward Scotty Turner quit the team last week. Keep an eye on goaltender Chris Holt. Holt, who was chosen in the sixth round of last year’s NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers, has taken firm grasp of the No. 1 spot in goal and brings a solid 3.08 GAA and .908 save percentage into the Denver Cup.
HOW
WE SEE IT
The best bet is that the winner of the Denver-Niagara game goes on to win the Denver Cup championship. The Purple Eagles might be in a better state of mind and in better health than the Pioneers, but George Gwozdecky’s club proved in last year’s tournament that it could right the ship during the holidays. The keys for Denver, outside of solid goaltending, is staying healthy on defense – freshman Matt Carle is in Finland with the U.S. World Junior team and veteran Jussi Halme broke his jaw Friday against MSU-Mankato, the same night senior Ryan Caldwell suffered a concussion that forced him to miss Saturday’s game. With depth on the blue line an issue, it’d be a good idea for the Pioneers to steer clear of the penalty box, too. Yale and Nebraska-Omaha would be hard-pressed to beat either Denver or Niagara. Leaving the Mile High City with one win would suffice, but UNO would have a shot at the championship if Holt gets hot.
