ST. PAUL, Minn. — Junior wing Anthony Maiani, the University of Denver’s fourth- leading scorer (34 points), is doubtful for the Pioneers’ NCAA Tournament opener this week, coach George Gwozdecky said.
Maiani suffered a broken index finger in Friday’s 4-3 loss to North Dakota, and he did not play in Saturday’s 6-3 setback to Wisconsin. He is incapable of grasping a stick.
“It stinks to lose Anthony; he’s a big part of our team,” DU goalie Marc Cheverie said.
In other injury news, DU is hoping to regain the services of junior defenseman Chris Nutini, who has missed the past eight games with a slow- healing ankle injury.
Tournament time.
The 16-team NCAA Tournament will be unveiled today at 9:30 a.m. (ESPN2), and DU is guaranteed to receive one of four No. 1 seeds. The Pioneers (27-9-4) are scheduled to be flying back to Denver during the selection show, but Gwozdecky will remain in St. Paul and serve as a guest on the show.
The regionals are in St. Paul (West), Fort Wayne, Ind. (Midwest), Albany, N.Y. (East) and Worcester, Mass. (Northeast).
DU is least likely to get sent to Fort Wayne, where Miami (Ohio) is expected to be the No. 1 seed, and it probably won’t return to St. Paul, which is within a bus ride for Wisconsin as the top seed.
Curse of the Cup.
WCHA regular-season champion DU is the third straight MacNaughton Cup winner to go 0-2 at the Final Five.
North Dakota won the Cup last season before losing in the semifinals and consolation game. Colorado College began the trend in 2008.
The Sioux and Tigers both failed to win their ensuing NCAA regional.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
