Notwithstanding the absence of a valuable piece of local hardware, Lakewood native Tyler Ruegsegger could be the poster boy for successful, homegrown amateur hockey players.
At age 12 in 1999, he played on the Littleton peewee team that captured Colorado’s first youth national championship at any level. He went on to star for Minnesota’s renowned Shattuck-St. Mary’s High School before being drafted by the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006.
He made an immediate impact for the University of Denver as a freshman in 2006-07, and he represented his country at the prestigious 2008 World Junior Championship.
With 96 career points, he’s closing in on becoming the 91st member of DU’s Century Club (100-point scorers).
What hasn’t Ruegsegger accomplished? He hasn’t won the Gold Pan, perhaps the biggest homegrown gauge of them all.
“Ruegs” enters this weekend’s home-and-home series against fifth- ranked Colorado College with a 1-7-4 record against the Tigers.
“It’s frustrating, very frustrating,” Ruegsegger said Thursday after an intense week of practice. “I think they have brought a lot more passion and a lot more energy to this rivalry since I’ve been here. That’s a mistake. This goes back a long time. It gnaws at you.”
Perhaps DU needs to make a big deal about its geography advantage. The Pioneers have seven players from Colorado. CC has just one.
“This is my hometown and I grew up watching the Pioneers. I had always wanted to be one, and it’s very special,” Ruegsegger said. “That’s why I came to Denver. But I remember growing up watching games against CC at Magness Arena. I was well-aware of the rivalry.”
CC went 1-0-3 against DU last season, 3-1 the previous season and 3-0-1 in 2006-07.
The Pioneers (9-4-1) are tied with the Tigers (10-3-1) atop the Western Collegiate Hockey Association at 7-2-1 .
“If we have success this weekend, it will help stamp ourselves as being a pretty good hockey club,” CC coach Scott Owens said.
Said DU senior Matt Glasser: “There is no bigger weekend. . . . These last couple years have been tough to swallow. With the history between the two programs, it has to be the main priority right now. I want (the Gold Pan) back so bad, nothing else has been on my mind for the last couple weeks. I think about it every single day.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
