America’s best young amateur hockey team resides off Interstate 25 and University Boulevard. It’s a cohesive group that has found success by stacking its experience on defense and giving its young forwards the green light to attack.
The University of Denver’s regular 20-player lineup includes 14 freshmen or sophomores, tied with Michigan for the most underclassmen on a team ranked among the top 10 in the country.
The Wolverines (16-2) are ranked No. 1 this week in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll; the Pioneers (14-4) No. 3.
But offensively, DU’s young players are in a class by themselves. Freshmen and sophomores account for 91 percent of the Pioneers’ scoring (51 of 56 goals).
“Inexperience develops at different times, so it is very, very difficult to predict how young guys are going to make the transition to the college game,” said coach George Gwozdecky, who has 12 eligible freshman, the most in his 14-year tenure at DU. “We’ve been very fortunate. All our freshmen have performed very well — even at a tough academic school like DU. It’s not easy adjusting to playing hockey and the rigors of this academic institution.”
The Wolverines have 73 goals, 72 from regulars, but just 33 (46 percent) from freshmen or sophomores who have played at least half their games.
Michigan’s top scorers are seniors Kevin Porter and Chad Kolarik, who have combined for 30 goals. DU’s top four scorers — sophomores Brock Trotter, Tyler Ruegsegger, Rhett Rakhshani and freshman Tyler Bozak — have combined for 36 goals.
“With that many freshmen, you never know how well you’re going to do,” Trotter said. “But once they got here, we knew we had a good bunch of players.”
Bozak, who has nine goals, leads a freshman class that has combined for 24 goals — 23 from forwards. Bozak and classmates Kyle Ostrow (six goals), Jesse Martin (four), Anthony Maiani (three) and Dustin Jackson (one) each play on one of the top three lines.
At the outset of the season, Gwozdecky said he saw “a lot of unknowns” and added: “Other than perhaps my very first year here in 1993, this is the one team that I really didn’t know what we had.”
Senior Tom May is DU’s only upperclassman forward, but not by design. Centers Paul Stastny, Ryan Dingle and Geoff Paukovich would have been seniors this season. Stastny signed with the Avs in 2006; Dingle and Paukovich left for NHL deals this past offseason.
Gwozdecky and his staff then moved juniors Patrick Mullen and J.P. Testwuide to the blue line, where both had experience. The idea was to give veteran support in front of senior goalie Peter Mannino, who already had significant back-line support from hard-hitting senior Andrew Thomas and skilled junior Chris Butler.
Mullen and Testwuide completed what has been a formidable blue-line corps, which includes sophomore Cody Brookwell and freshman Chris Nutini.
“The strength of any team starts in goal and at the blue line,” Gwozdecky said. “You can have all the great forwards, but if you can’t get the puck to them, it’s going to be a challenge to create offense.”
Many DU players have said team chemistry is excellent, far better than the previous two seasons, and Butler hinted that a roster overhaul was needed. Only four players — Mannino, Thomas, May and reserve defenseman Zach Blom — are left from DU’s 2005 NCAA championship team.
“I think it helps having experience, but also bringing in new guys, new faces,” Mannino said. “It changes the chemistry. The freshmen are talented players, but also very character people.
“The transition of them joining the team was very easy. They mix in very well. You feel like you’ve known them for years.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
What: Denver Cup
Where: Magness Arena
Schedule: Tonight — Northern Michigan (7-10-2) vs. Dartmouth (4-4-1), 4:30 p.m.; Sacred Heart (6-6-2) vs. Denver (14-4), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday — Semifinal losers, 4 p.m.; championship, 7 p.m.
TV/radio: KRKS 990 AM/FSN (Saturday, DU game only)
Note: DU, already without sophomore forwards Tyler Ruegsegger and Rhett Rakhshani because of U.S. World Junior duty, practiced Wednesday and Thursday without freshmen Kyle Ostrow, Tyler Bozak and Jesse Martin and sophomores Cody Brookwell and Matt Glasser. The five Canadians had their flight to Denver canceled Tuesday, and weren’t expected to arrive until Thursday night.
Colorado College
What: Lightning College Hockey Classic
Where: St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Fla.
Schedule: Saturday — Massachusetts (7-3-5) vs. Notre Dame (16-4), 3 p.m.; RPI (8-7-3) vs. Colorado College (11-5), 6 p.m.
Sunday — Semifinal losers, 3 p.m.; championship 6 p.m.
TV/radio: None/KYZX 103.9 FM (CC games)
Note: CC forwards Chad Rau, Cody Lampl and Derek Patrosso will not play Saturday because of suspensions, and forward Eric Walsky and defenseman Kris Fredheim could miss the game because of injury. Rau, the Tigers’ leading scorer, will serve a one-game suspension for violating a team rule. Lampl and Patrosso were suspended for student conduct: Lampl for a year and Patrosso until March 12, coach Scott Owens said.
Air Force
What: Holiday Classic
Where: Mariucci Arena, Minneapolis
Schedule: Saturday — Air Force (9-4-3) vs. Boston College (6-4-5), 3 p.m.; Minnesota (9-8-1) vs. RIT (6-6-3), 6 p.m.
Sunday — Semifinal losers, 3 p.m., championship, 6 p.m.
TV/radio: None
Note: Air Force might regain the services of senior forward Mike Phillipich, who hasn’t played since the fourth game because of injury.
