Colorado College hasn’t captured an NCAA championship since 1957, a statement that easily rolls off the tongues of University of Denver fans.
CC, however, is on the verge of proclaiming itself the best regular-season team in the country’s toughest conference during the past 15 years, a sentence the Pioneers can’t deny.
This weekend, the Tigers could clinch at least a share of the MacNaughton Cup, giving them a record six Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season championships in the past 15 years.
The Tigers, who lead the rugged WCHA with 37 points, four more than second-place North Dakota, host Minnesota State tonight and Saturday at the Colorado Springs World Arena.
Two victories would give CC a share of the Cup heading into next weekend’s home-and-home, regular-season series finale against DU. The Tigers also could clinch with a split against Minnesota State and a North Dakota loss tonight or Saturday at Minnesota-Duluth.
CC is 14-1 at home, but Minnesota State has won seven of its past nine games to climb into the NCAA Tournament picture.
“(The Mavericks) are a good team,” CC coach Scott Owens said. “They don’t keep the respect nationally that they probably should. They’re faster than people think, gritty, and they’re getting good goaltending. This is a good team we have to get up for.”
Denver, third in the WCHA, also is in contention to win the MacNaughton Cup, but that’s unlikely. To win it outright, the Pioneers, who begin a two-game series at Michigan Tech tonight, would have to finish 4-0, and have CC go 0-4 and North Dakota no better than 2-2.
The Tigers haven’t lost consecutive games since November, and freshman goalie Richard Bachman hasn’t allowed a goal in eight consecutive periods, a shutout streak of 162 minutes, 5 seconds.
Bachman, from Highlands Ranch, backstopped 3-0 and 4-0 victories last weekend at Minnesota-Duluth to become the first CC goalie in 70 years to produce shutouts in a two-game road series. He leads the country with a .935 save percentage and is a Hobey Baker Award candidate as the national player of the year.
“No way did we think he could have this type of impact as a freshman,” Owens said of Bachman (21-5-1). “Obviously, we’ve tracked him for a long time and knew he was a talented kid. But the way he’s come in and played the minutes he’s played is just impressive.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
College hockey this weekend
NO. 7 DENVER AT MICHIGAN TECH
What: WCHA two-game series
When: Today and Saturday, 5 p.m. MST
Where: MacInnes Ice Center, Houghton, Mich.
TV/radio: None/KCKK 1510 AM
Records: DU (21-10-1, 15-8-1 WCHA), MTU (11-16-5, 7-13-4 WCHA)
Notes: DU needs two points to clinch a top-three finish in the WCHA. . . . The Pioneers have lost their past five road games. Their most recent road win was Dec. 15 at Alaska-Anchorage. . . . DU is 11-1 against teams in the bottom half of the 10-team WCHA.
NO. 4 COLORADO COLLEGE VS. NO. 9 MINNESOTA STATE
What: WCHA two-game series
When: Tonight (7:35) and Saturday (7 p.m.)
Where: Colorado Springs World Arena
TV/radio: None/KEPN 1600 AM (tonight only), KYZX 103.9 FM
Records: MSU (16-12-4, 10-10-4 WCHA), CC (23-8-1, 18-5-1 WCHA)
Notes: MSU has lost two straight games after winning seven in a row. The Mavericks lost 4-2 on Tuesday at Nebraska-Omaha. . . . The Tigers lead the country in penalty killing (90.4 percent).
AIR FORCE VS. AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL
What: AHA two-game series
When: Tonight and Saturday, 7 p.m.
Where: Cadet Ice Arena
TV/radio: None/KKML 1300 AM
Records: AIC (8-20-4, 8-16-2 AHA), AFA (16-11-5, 13-9-4 AHA)
Notes: The Falcons’ 16 Division I regular-season wins tie them for most in program history. They also produced 16 victories last season. . . . Air Force is 14-0 all time against American International.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
