The University of Denver hockey team is in the process of signing a seasoned Finnish goaltender to temporarily replace sophomore-to-be Sam Brittain, who had major knee surgery June 17.
Juho Olkinuora of Helsinki is scheduled to be added to DU’s incoming freshman class and pegged to serve as backup to junior-to-be Adam Murray until Brittain returns, which won’t be until January at the earliest. Murray was Brittain’s backup for most of last season.
Olkinuora, who turns 21 in November, is older than Murray and Brittain. Olkinuora was 14-13 with a 2.78 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage for the Sioux Falls Stampede last season, his first in North America. He led the Stampede to the U.S. Hockey League’s Western Conference finals, going 2-3 with a 2.70 GAA and .911 save percentage in the postseason.
Brittain had a sensational freshman season for DU, going 19-9-5 (2.28 GAA, .921 save percentage). Murray finished 6-3 (3.46, .879). Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
CU’s Wallace shines in Canada.
University of Colorado golfer Jessica Wallace won a CN Canadian Women’s Tour tournament in a playoff Wednesday and qualified for the Canadian Women’s Open.
Wallace shot an even-par 72 at Blue Springs Golf Club in Acton, Ontario, and finished with a two-round total of 1-over 145. Wallace defeated fellow Canadian Kirby Dreher in the playoff.
Alex Stewart, who is transferring to CU from Purdue, and Somin Lee of Denver won their USGA matches in the round of 64 at the Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship at Bandon Trails at Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon.
Stewart, the No. 17 seed, defeated Ericka Schneider of Bradenton, Fla., 4 and 3. Lee, the No. 23 seed and the Class 5A state champion in 2010 for Overland High School, routed Augusta James of Canada 8 and 6.
Tait takes home more than $4,000.
Ashley Tait of Littleton earned $4,400 as the tournament runner-up at the Michigan PGA Women’s Open at the Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, Mich.
Tait shot an even-par 72 in the final round and finished with a three-round total of 2-under 214. She was three strokes behind the winner, Laura Kueny of Whitehall, Mich.
Tait, a three-time state champion at Mullen High School, won the Texas Women’s Open this month.
