The last time the Pioneers traveled this path, it ended with a trophy.
heads up Interstate 25 to Blue Arena in Loveland for its regional semifinal against Cornell on Friday at 4 p.m. When DU played its regional games in Loveland in 2022, two wins paved the way to the program’s ninth national championship.
Now in a quest to extend its record national championship tally to 11 after winning it all again two years ago, the Pioneers take on a familiar postseason foe in the Big Red. Denver and Cornell meet in the NCAA Regionals for the third time in the last four years, with Cornell winning 2-0 in 2023 and DU returning the favor in a 2-1 triumph in the regional final in ’24.
Following DU’s dramatic 4-3 win in double-overtime over Minnesota Duluth in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship on Saturday at Magness Arena, Pioneers head coach David Carle said he expects to see plenty of crimson and gold in the crowd in Loveland.
“For our guys, it will still be a really good (home-advantage) experience to have our own fans here, and it’s an easy drive for everybody to get up there,” Carle said. “We know we have fans in that (northern Colorado) market as well.”
After winning a record fourth National Cup on Saturday, the Pioneers head into the NCAA Regionals with the wind at their back. Freshman goalie , who took over in net on Jan. 24 following a lower-body injury to Quentin Miller, has given the previously scuffling Pioneers a new, championship identity.
Hicks, who made 41 saves in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship, is unbeaten in his first 13 collegiate decisions at 12-0-1. He was voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Faceoff.
Minnesota Duluth head coach Scott Sandelin raved about Hicks after DU’s win on Saturday, calling it “very impressive.” Hicks had a slew of eye-popping saves , including stopping several point-blank and breakaway shots in the third period and first overtime that kept the Pioneers in the game. Two of the three goals he gave up were on open looks on the power play.
“You need that at this time of the year and it seems like in the past (when DU has made national title runs), Denver’s always had that guy in net,” Sandelin said. “And he might be that guy again. … Since he’s got in, he’s been spectacular for them.”
Offensively, junior Eric Pohlkamp — the and a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award — leads the Pioneers with 17 goals and 37 points. Senior forward Rieger Lorenz is on a tear coming into regionals, riding a career-long 11-game point streak, and has 15 goals with 33 points. DU also features six other players with double-digit goals.
Should No. 2 DU get past No. 3 Cornell, the Pioneers will of NCHC rival No. 1 Western Michigan and No. 4 Minnesota State on Sunday. The Frozen Four begins April 9 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the national championship game is April 11.
“We want to keep staying on a roll,” senior defenseman and DU captain Kent Anderson said, “and we’re feeling good going into the tournament.”
