The red-hot Denver Pioneers, just a win shy of extending their NCAA-record seasons of 20 victories to 15 consecutive, conclude the regular season this weekend but are guaranteed to play on in the ensuing weeks when the conference and national tournaments unfold.
Denver is an NCAA-best 12-1-3 in 2016 and takes a seven-game winning streak into Friday’s game against visiting Nebraska Omaha that kicks off a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference series at Magness Arena.
The Pioneers (19-8-5, 15-5-2 NCHC) have clinched a top-three NCHC finish and will host Nebraska Omaha, Western Michigan or Colorado College in a first-round, best-of-three NCHC playoff series next week. DU is tied for seventh in the PairWise Rankings and in excellent shape to advance to its ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament this month.
“We just want to keep it rolling,” said third-year DU coach Jim Montgomery. “We’ve really done a great job in focusing on playing Denver hockey. If we do play that, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we’re going to have a real good opportunity for success. The players have really thrived on that and our leadership has been incredible through this stretch since Jan. 1.”
Denver hockey, defined: “It’s fast, it’s physical and it’s relentless,” Montgomery said. “All three zones, five guys playing together. It’s 35-second shifts and everyone performing their roles. Without the puck, everybody looks the same. With the puck, everybody’s different. People should play to their strengths but everyone is finishing checks, angling, communicating and making sure we don’t give up odd-man rushes.”
Montgomery said sophomore goalie Tanner Jaillet will start Friday and junior goalie Evan Cowley will start Saturday.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or @mikechambers
