Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D., was named after a former North Dakota goalie who pledged millions to the program. Built in 2001, it is still known as the Taj Mahal of hockey rinks in North American, with its granite-floor concourses and every seat made of cherry wood and leather upholstery.
For visiting goalies, it’s known as the house of horrors. The state’s most beloved sports team has a fan base often compared to Nebraska football. Opposing goalies at “The Ralph” must have thick skin to have success, and that’s particularly true for a netminder from Denver.
This season — his third with the University of Denver Pioneers — junior goalie Tanner Jaillet is embracing the challenge. Jaillet, who turned 23 in August, puts his league-leading statistics on the line this weekend for a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference showdown with the renamed Fighting Hawks.
“It’s exciting,” Jaillet said Wednesday after practice at DU. “Fun rink to play in because their fans are so passionate. It’s going to be good. It’s going to be fun, and we are ready to go.”
Jaillet has a 1.73 goals-against average and .931 saves percentage, both tops in the NCHC. Denver, which is on a six-game winning streak since beginning 0-2, has allowed only six goals in its past five games.
North Dakota, the defending national champion, is on a four-game winless skid (0-3-1) since beginning 5-0.
“Not too concerned with how they’re doing,” Jaillet said about the Hawks’ two losses at Minnesota-Duluth and 0-1-1 series at Minnesota over the past two weekends. “More concerned with how we’re doing. We’re going to be ready to play and see what happens.”
En route to the NCAA title, North Dakota eliminated Denver at the NCAA Frozen Four in April, scoring on Jaillet in the final minute of regulation to break a 2-2 tie. Heading into that game in Tampa, Fla., the teams were 2-2-1 on the season. The Hawks swept DU at home last December by 5-1 and 4-0 scores, and the Pioneers swept North Dakota 6-4 and 4-1 in February at Magness Arena.
The rivals tied 1-1 at the NCHC Tournament consolation game in Minneapolis, before both teams went 2-0 to win their NCAA regional. It was an epic season for the VanVoorhis families in Grand Forks and Minneapolis. DU defenseman Matt VanVoorhis, now a senior and assistant captain, was born in Grand Forks and his living grandparents were professors at UND.
VanVoorhis’ parents are also Grand Forks natives, now living in Minneapolis.
“They’ll be there. They’re loyalist,” VanVoorhis said of his parents and grandparents. “I think they’ll be in Denver stuff — hopefully.”
Denver is coming off a bye week and playing a team that has played four consecutive games on the road. “It’s going to be really intense,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said. “We’re going into a hornet’s nest. They’ve struggled the last two weeks and probably thinking that coming home will cure everything.”
Footnotes. Freshman forward Tyson Jost, the Avalanche’s first-round draft pick in June (No. 10), is UND’s third-leading scorer with 10 points (three goals) in nine games. Jost had his first career three-point game (goal, two assists) in a 5-5 tie at Minnesota last Friday. … The Pioneers have no injuries or illnesses and are at 100 percent for the first time this season.
