Two hours before puck drop Friday at Magness Arena, Denver Pioneers sophomore Troy Terry was resting comfortably at his nearby rented home. The new social-media sensation had dinner plans with his parents from Highlands Ranch and was hoping to hit the sack shortly after learning how DU fared in its first-ever game against Division I newcomer Arizona State.
The hero’s welcome was postponed to Saturday’s pregame, before the Pioneers conclude their nonconference series against the Sun Devils. At that time, DU will pepper Terry with adulation for becoming an American hero and Colorado hockey legend in his extraordinary efforts at the World Junior Championship on Wednesday and Thursday in Montreal.
“A lot of people have told me, ‘Way to represent the state,’ ” Terry said in a phone interview. “I grew up here and have so much love for Colorado and the Highlands Ranch area. A lot of people were telling me I made them proud, and the state proud. So that was pretty awesome.”
DU coach Jim Montgomery wanted Terry to stay away from hockey for a day — less than 24 hours after playing a huge role in Team USA’s WJC gold-medal-winning performance. Terry scored the only shootout goal in Thursday’s 5-4 win over host Canada, and his three shootout goals in three attempts Wednesday carried the Americans to a 4-3 semifinal triumph over Russia.
Besides the four shootout goals, Terry had three goals and six points in regulation for the 7-0 Americans, who defeated Canada and Russia twice apiece.
Through that final 48-hour period, Terry was receiving texts and tweets from around North America — including multiple correspondence from Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman.
“I’m named after Troy Aikman; my dad is huge fan, and in one of the interviews I had with the NHL Network leading up to tournament they asked me something about why I’m such a big Cowboys fan, and I told them I was named after Troy Aikman,” Terry said. “(Aikman) must of saw it and found out, and he sent me two tweets — one before the game (against Russia), saying ‘good luck,’ and one saying ‘congrats’ after we won (Thursday). That’s one of the coolest things to come out of this.”
Terry was operating on virtually no sleep Friday. Thursday’s game started at 8 p.m. in Montreal and required a 20-minute overtime and the five-round shootout. The celebration ensued, and the team boarded a bus to the airport at 5 a.m.
Montgomery met with Terry on Friday morning and realized the 19-year-old needed a night off. If it were up to Terry, he would have preferred to play.
“I’m pretty excited to get back in there with those guys,” Terry said of his DU teammates, including Canadian roommate Jarid Lukosevicius. “I miss these guys. These guys are my best friends. I’m just excited to get back out there with them.”
Terry said Lukosevicius and other Canadians on the team said they were rooting for him all along. And so was Montgomery, who was born in Montreal.
“It will be great to have him back in our lineup Saturday and see how the crowd reacts to the American hero,” Montgomery said of Terry.