UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

[du78]

#10/10 DENVER PIONEERS (15-9-5, 10-7-5 WCHA) vs. #6/6 North Dakota (16-8-6, 11-5-6 WCHA)

Date: Friday, February 22, 2013

Puck Drop: 8:07 p.m. (MT)

Site: Denver, Colo.

Arena: Magness Arena (6,026)

TV: Nationally televised on NBC Sports Network with Steve Schlanger (play-by-play) and Brian Engblom (color) on the call.

Radio/Web: 102.3 FM ESPN (KDSP - Denver) and www.denverpioneers.com (fee) with Jay Stickney (play-by-play) and Mark Rycroft (color) on the call.

Twitter: DU_Hockey

All-Time Series: Denver trails 116-136-9 (first met in 1949-50)

Pre-Game DU Goal Light

DU GOAL

*****http://www.animation-station.com/lights/images/lite0036.gif******

GO DU!!!!!

[A Shot and a Goal]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Heading into this weekend's series against North Dakota there is a symmetry to Denver's season.

The Pioneers have played twenty-nine games and the contests break nicely into two camps. In 15 of those games Denver has scored three goals or less. Denver's record is 3-7-5 in those games. That's 3 wins in 15 contests. The Pioneers have scored four or more goals in 14 games and have posted a 12-2 record in those games. That 12 wins in 14 outings.

Put simply: when Denver scores three goals or less it does not win. When Denver scores four goals or more it does win.

Frequently this season Denver has won a game because its offense has had productive nights. There have been precious few low-scoring games [e.g. 3-2, 2-1, 2-0, et cetera] in which Denver has prevailed. As hard fought as Denver-North Dakota games have been over the last decade, it's hard for me to envision the Pioneers scoring four or more goals against NoDak in either game this weekend. Yes, the Pioneers are capable of scoring four goals in a game against North Dakota, but NoDak has allowed four or more goals in a game just three times in its past seventeen contests. The recent data suggest the Pioneers will be hard pressed to score four or more goals in a game against NoDak.

Conversely, in its past seventeen games Denver has scored four or more goals in a game just five times. North Dakota hasn't allowed many high scoring efforts [4 goals or more] in the last two and a half months, while Denver hasn't produced many high scoring efforts [4 goals or more] in games during the last two and a half months.

Any win by the Pioneers at this juncture of the season will be a welcome one, but frankly, I'd like to see Denver win a low-scoring contest against a high quality opponent such as NoDak to show that the Pioneers can play such a brand of hockey as the playoff season beckons. In this weekend's series against NoDak and in next weekend's series against Minnesota, I feel Denver's chances to win are enhanced if the Pioneers can win closely contested low-scoring games rather than being forced to win so-called high scoring shootouts.

[dggoddard]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

May be time to upgrade the DU goal scoring celebration....

[Old Pio]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

I'd take 8 points in these final six games and run, not walk, to the bank. H*ll I'd settle for 7 or even 6 points.

[dggoddard]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

I'd take 8 points in these final six games and run, not walk, to the bank. H*ll I'd settle for 7 or even 6 points.

If DU wants to make the National Tourney and win the ugliest NC in DU history, 8 points in the next three weeks is what the Pioneers will need.

Duluth won it all with an ugly regular season in 2010-11.

UMD got off to a great start [11-1-2], briefly was #1 in the polls and then more or less split most of their series the rest of the way. Bounced by Bemidji in the Final 5 they recovered to beat Union, Yale, Notre Dame & Michigan to steal the title.

[vizoroo]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Pre-Game DU Goal Light

DU GOAL

*****http://www.animation-station.com/lights/images/lite0036.gif******

GO DU!!!!!

Light it up tonight Pios!!

[Old Pio]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

If DU wants to make the National Tourney and win the ugliest NC in DU history, 8 points in the next three weeks is what the Pioneers will need.

Duluth won it all with an ugly regular season in 2010-11.

UMD got off to a great start [11-1-2], briefly was #1 in the polls and then more or less split most of their series the rest of the way. Bounced by Bemidji in the Final 5 they recovered to beat Union, Yale, Notre Dame & Michigan to steal the title.

Paraphrasing Lincoln, "let's bottle whatever the 'Dogs were drinking that season and pass it around the Pioneer locker room." 8 points it is. Let's start with two tonight.

[du78]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

DU with the same line-up as usual including Jussi in goal.

[du78]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Let the war begin!

[vizoroo]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Go DU!!!

[du78]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Here we go.................................

[du78]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Phillips to sin bin for DU, UND PP

[vizoroo]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Drat Tebow Junior

[du78]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

Even strength goal for UND from the point, Jussi was screened, Rocco makes it 1-0.

[K7776S2001]

Re: UND at Denver - Friday 2/22/13

ROCCO makes it 1-0 Sioux