It’s Gold Pan weekend, but one of college hockey’s premier rivalries went silent Friday night.
The home-and-home series that typically kicks off Friday in Denver or Colorado Springs was spilt and prolonged this season.
Because of a national TV deal, the Pioneers and Tigers are left with two single-game weekends — tonight at DU’s Magness Arena and Dec. 2 in the Springs — before the annual series concludes Feb. 3-4.
The Dec. 2 game will be part of CBS Sports Network’s Massachusetts-Colorado doubleheader: Boston College vs. Boston University followed by DU-CC.
“It is what it is,” said Tigers coach Scott Owens, who prefers the home-and-home series. “No TV (tonight), which is surprising. But it’s a toss-up game, to be honest with you.”
Third-ranked CC and No. 12 DU are tied for sixth in Western Collegiate Hockey Association, but the Tigers are 5-1 and the Pioneers 3-3-2 overall.
DU is winless in its past four games (0-2-2), including a 3-3 tie and 4-0 loss last weekend at home against Minnesota-Duluth.
“As a player, right after the game ended on Saturday, you almost wished you had another one on Sunday, because you never want to wait a full week with that kind of taste in your mouth,” DU junior center and co-captain Drew Shore said. “So I think everyone is going to be ready to go.”
DU is likely going with junior goalie Adam Murray in the net, according to coach George Gwozdecky, and Owens said he will choose between junior Joe Howe and sophomore Josh Thorimbert.
Both teams are relatively healthy, and DU sophomore wing Beau Bennett is scheduled to play after missing the past four games because of a wrist injury.
Bennett, who had six points (five assists) in DU’s first four games, will return to the Nick Shore-centered line.
“He’s looked real well lately,” Shore said. “Obviously having him back is going to help the team out a lot.”
Gwozdecky is gently shuffling his top lines. He is putting freshman Daniel Doremus on the Drew Shore line with Jason Zucker and moving senior Luke Salazar to Nick Shore’s line.
“I know the big line (Drew Shore’s) didn’t score last weekend, and their power play probably wasn’t as strong without Beau Bennett,” Owens said. “They’ve got three or four really top-end forwards and Beau is one of them.”
Even though it doesn’t feel like a Gold Pan weekend, Owens believes his team will embrace the rivalry.
“Two good teams this year,” he said.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
College hockey
No. 3 Colorado College (5-1, 3-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) at No. 12 Denver (3-3-2, 2-2-2 WCHA)
What: WCHA game
When: Tonight, 7 p.m.
Where: Magness Arena
TV/radio: None/102.3 FM (Denver) and 103.9 FM (Colorado Springs)
Notes: Tonight begins the annual, four-game Gold Pan series. The Pioneers held control of the traveling trophy last season after winning it outright in 2009-10. Both teams went 2-0 at home last season. In the 18th year of the Gold Pan, CC leads 10-8. DU leads the overall series 156-109-14. . . . DU is on a four-game winless skid (0-2-2) and has been outscored 16-7. Coach George Gwozdecky has been stuck on 550 career wins since the Pioneers pounded Minnesota State 10-2 on Oct. 22. . . . Linemates Drew Shore and Jason Zucker lead DU with 10 points but went pointless in last weekend’s 3-3 tie and 4-0 loss to visiting Minnesota-Duluth. . . . CC is 14-8-4 in 26 games at Magness Arena, including 4-4-4 in its last 12. . . . Tigers sophomore wing Jaden Schwartz has 56 points (21 goals) in 36 career games. . . . CC coach Scott Owens said each of his 28 players are healthy and available.
