ST. PAUL, Minn. — Official attendance for the Denver Pioneers’ 6-3 win over Ferris State in the West Regional championship game Sunday was 2,799, a dribble in the Xcel Energy Center’s more than 18,000 seats.
Yet DU coach Jim Montgomery said playing a regional in St. Paul, or in another NHL arena, is fine with him.
“The Xcel building’s a fantastic facility,” Montgomery said. “The ice is great. It lends itself to high-end plays like you saw throughout the weekend. So I think it’s great.
“You can’t have a crystal ball and have Minnesota and North Dakota and Wisconsin all in the same region, which would fill this barn. It’s a great facility and I think it’s great to keep having regionals here.”
Super support. Pioneers defenseman Tariq Hammond had a rough game, falling to set up a breakaway goal for the Bulldogs, having another Ferris State shot go off him and in, and drawing a penalty that led to a power-play goal. But Montgomery supported him.
“You know what, two of ’em were physical,” the coach said. “He fell, he’s in the right position and he just toe-picks. The other one goes off his skate. We never worry about physical mistakes, we worry about mental and effort mistakes. He didn’t do that. He was great (Saturday) and he was great last week, and he’s been great all year. That’s when you have other people pick him up. Blake Hillman gets a goal and two assists.”
