Despite pounding Colorado College 8-1 in November and seeing the Tigers lose 7-1 and 6-1 at home to St. Cloud State last weekend, the University of Denver is preparing for a typical tight hockey game in Friday night’s Gold Pan showdown with archrival CC at the Broadmoor World Arena.
Given CC’s talent — headlined by sophomore defenseman Jaccob Slavin of Erie — Pioneers coach Jim Montgomery said his team should expect a one-goal game in front of a national television audience.
Slavin is a team-worst minus-19 because he plays so much on a bad team. The former midget standout for the Colorado Thunderbirds is tied for fourth among CC scorers and is the Tiger mostly likely to advance to the NHL.
Montgomery, who is in his second year at DU, said he tried to trade for Slavin three times when he was the coach of the United States Hockey League’s Dubuque Fighting Saints and Slavin played for the Chicago Steel. Slavin went on to captain his junior-A team in 2012-13 after being selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2012 NHL draft.
Slavin led CC in scoring last season and was named the inaugural winner of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s rookie of the year award.
“Extremely talented, smart hockey player,” Montgomery said of Slavin, 20. “He’s a five-tool player. Outstanding hands, great skating, good vision, a bomb of a shot and terrific size. He’s a player we will have to be aware of when he’s on the ice. He’s great in his own end and generates a lot of offense, especially on the power play.”
Slavin, 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, committed to CC at age 17. He said the Tigers were the only team that offered him a scholarship at the time.
“DU started to talk to me, but they weren’t really that interested right away, and once CC offered I took it the next day,” he said. “So CC was really the only school. I love it here at CC.”
Erie is just north of Denver, but Slavin holds no grudges because DU didn’t come after him harder. As a rival Tiger, he naturally doesn’t like the Pioneers.
“There’s enough in the rivalry to get me going,” he said.
CC has only four points in the conference and is destined for the No. 8 seed. But there’s still plenty to play for, including a Feb. 20-21 home-and-home series against Denver.
“The Gold Pan is something we want to keep in Colorado Springs, and once the NCHC playoffs hit, anything can happen,” Slavin said. “We’ve really picked up the intensity in practice this week, and I think preparation is going to be key for us Friday.”
Montgomery, whose team took a 7-1 lead over CC midway through the November game in Denver, expects the best from the Tigers.
“It’s human nature to bounce back,” he said. “I expect it to be a one-goal game, a fierce battle.
“And I think we’ll play well down there. I’ve been really happy with the pace and intensity of the practices, and the execution. We’re playing for home ice in the NCHC standings. We have to put some wins together to be able to climb in the standings and get where we should be.”
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
Slavin file
A closer look at Colorado College defenseman Jaccob Slavin:
Age: 20
Hometown: Erie
Youth hockey: Colorado Thunderbirds
Junior-A hockey: Chicago Steel, United States Hockey League (three seasons)
Notable: Older sister Jordan Slavin played NCAA hockey at North Dakota. … Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round in 2012. … Led CC in scoring last season as a freshman and was named National Collegiate Hockey Conference rookie of the year. … Hobbies include playing guitar, listening to Christian and country music. Favorite movie is “Never Back Down.”
— Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
College hockey preview
No. 10 Denver (15-9-1, 8-7 NCHC) at Colorado College (5-18-1, 1-13-1)
• What: NCHC game
• When: Friday, 7:35 p.m.
• Where: Broadmoor World Arena
• TV/radio: CBSSN/105.5 FM
• Notes: DU senior center Matt Tabrum of Colorado Springs is out with a head/neck injury. The Pioneers have no other injuries. … Freshman goalie Tanner Jaillet is scheduled to start for DU. … This is the second of two single-weekend games between the Pioneers and Tigers, who typically play a consecutive- night, home-and-home series.
Air Force (11-15-3, 10-8-2 AHA) at Sacred Heart (7-15-6, 6-10-6)
• What: Two-game AHA series
• When: Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m.
• Where: Milford Ice Pavilion in Fairfield, Conn.
• TV/radio: None/1300 AM
• Notes: Air Force was rolling before losing twice at home to AHA leader Robert Morris last weekend. The Falcons had won six straight before falling 5-4 in overtime last Friday and 5-2 in the series finale.
— Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
