Consecutive weekends of producing only one point in a weekend series has the University of Denver on a four-game winless skid (0-2-2). Still, the Pioneers’ remarkable streak of refusing to get swept in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series lives on.
DU, the preseason favorite to win the league by coaches and media alike, has not completely bowed to the same WCHA opponent on the same weekend in nearly three years. The last league team to sweep the Pioneers was St. Cloud State, which won 4-2 and 2-1 at the National Hockey Center on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, 2008.
Since then, Boston College of Hockey East is the only team to sweep DU. The Eagles beat the Pioneers 6-2 and 3-0 early last season in Denver.
DU coach George Gwozdecky on Monday said he wasn’t aware of his team’s three-year WCHA success story, the longest active streak of its kind, but said he expected his players to find themselves “in a bit of lull at some point in the season just because of the expectations.”
“We’re going through it right now,” Gwozdecky said. “Bottom line is, we’re going to keep working away individually, stay the course and get through this together.”
Shut down.
DU’s top line of center Drew Shore and Jason Zucker and Luke Salazar failed to produce a point in last weekend’s 3-3 tie and 4-0 loss to visiting Minnesota-Duluth. Combined, the line was minus-6 in the series, with each player minus-2.
The Pioneers’ primary strength is an explosive two-line punch offensively, but the Nick Shore-centered line has been hindered by the loss of sophomore standout Beau Bennett.
Bennett has missed the past four games with a wrist injury. Gwozdecky said Bennett was scheduled to skate Monday “and see how it feels.”
Footnotes.
Littleton-raised goalie Ryan Massa, a freshman at Nebraska- Omaha, took the loss in Saturday’s 5-2 series-splitting setback against Colorado College. It was 3-2 before the Tigers scored two empty-net goals in the final minute. Massa, 21, is the primary backup to senior John Faulkner, and also sharing time with classmate Dayn Belfour, the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Ed Belfour. … Among the country’s 21 top players in points per game, 15 are NHL draft picks. CC junior forward Rylan Schwartz is one of the six free agents. He has nine points in six games (1.5 per game) and is tied with his younger brother, Jaden Schwartz, for 10th. Jaden is a 2010 first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
Front Range rankings
1. Colorado College (5-1, 3-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association).
Last week: Split at Nebraska-Omaha, 7-5 loss, 5-2 win. This week: At Denver on Saturday. Comment: Star sophomore Jaden Schwartz is on a 12-game scoring streak dating to last season.
2. Denver (3-3-2, 2-2-2 WCHA).
Last week: Tied and lost to Minnesota-Duluth, 3-3 and 4-0. This week: Hosts Colorado College on Saturday. Comment: Pioneers have been outscored 16-7 during their four-game winless streak (0-2-2) since beating Minnesota State 10-2 on Oct. 22.
3. Air Force. (5-2-2, 4-0-1 Atlantic Hockey Association).
Last week: Swept Sacred Heart 2-1 and 3-2. This week: At Rochester Institute of Technology (2-3-2, 1-2-2 AHA) Friday and at Mercyhurst (4-4, 3-0 AHA) Saturday. Comment: Falcons are on a seven-game unbeaten streak (5-0-2), but have two ties and two one-goal victories against some of the worst teams in the country.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
