All Things Denver XXXVII

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Thanks to Joe Paisley for finding this story abot VanVoorhis' early days.

[du78]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Peter Mannino is with Wheeling in the ECHL and his suspension is over. He clears the air in this article on what happened to him and why he didn't want to report.

http://www.news-register.net/page/co...n.html?nav=523

[Old Pio]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Should be a fun night on the game thread.

As Willy used to say: "Vinning iss funn."

[burd]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Pretty solid analysis. I'm inclined to think a split is about as good as we can do, but a 3 point (excuse me, under NCHC rules that would be an 11 point) weekend would surely be sweet. While they're in Magness availing themselves of the indoor plumbing, DPD can be outside putting Denver Boots on all their buckboards and ox carts. They won't be hard to spot: little green feathers, expired plates and GED applications in the glove box.

I reckon some of them buckboards might be at the wrong rink tonight, being as how The University of Denver's club team is playing better hockey and getting more press than the Pios.

[Old Pio]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

I reckon some of them buckboards might be at the wrong rink tonight, being as how The University of Denver's club team is playing better hockey and getting more press than the Pios.

Them's the problems being in a major market as opposed to not.

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

I reckon some of them buckboards might be at the wrong rink tonight, being as how The University of Denver's club team is playing better hockey and getting more press than the Pios.

In case you missed this in Puck Daddy's column. http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-pu...iacontentstory
Move over David Makowski. There is another long range shooter at DU!

[vizoroo]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

@mikechambers2 hrs
That UND power-play goal came after a mysterious elbow call by referee Todd Anderson. No replays here cause DU doesn't get CBS ....
UND's Derek Rodwell had the puck and was skating up ice against the boards. DU's Zac Larraza blew him up from the side. No elbow. Bad call
Truth comes out: DU can get CBS but is not showing UND goals or any non-DU-scoring activity
DU admin goes back & forth on opponent replay goals. Now they aren't showing them.

Still wonder why Todd Anderson was picked up by the NCHC

[HoosierPioneer]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Need to move our feet in the defensive zone, win some faceoffs, and get more rebound opportunities to have a chance tomorrow night. About the only bright spot was the occasional forecheck pressure, but no chances to capitalize.

Win, lose, or split, I'm always glad when these series are over. I can't stand these guys.

[MagnessMan]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Ugly no effort by Pios tonight. Sioux were beating us to the puck just as bad as the fat green fans were beating us to the beer counter.

[MagnessMan]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Still wonder why Todd Anderson was picked up by the NCHC

The Big Ten, the WCHA and the NCHC drew straws and we came up with Todd (who my girls affectionately call, Mr. Frowny Face Man).

[MagnessMan]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Need to move our feet in the defensive zone, win some faceoffs, and get more rebound opportunities to have a chance tomorrow night. About the only bright spot was the occasional forecheck pressure, but no chances to capitalize.

Win, lose, or split, I'm always glad when these series are over. I can't stand these guys.

Have to wonder if they can pull off two bounce back Saturday wins in row. I don't think the score accurately reflected how totally outplayed DU was tonight. Puck battles? Nope, they didn't even look like we were engaged in anything close to a battle. UND was whizzing by DU all night. Saunders played well for having cobwebs on his pads. There is a ton of talent on the UND team. Rocco and Simpson impressed me. Rocco has matured since last year--much more patient with the puck. Personally, I love the Sioux series. Lots of passion. The jawing was so widespread in the second period that all of the officials were grinning ear to ear listening to it.

[MagnessMan]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

CC gets their 3rd w of the season. beating up on the last place Redhawks. Rico may soon be heading south to FL to join his mentor.

[burd]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Need to move our feet in the defensive zone, win some faceoffs, and get more rebound opportunities to have a chance tomorrow night. About the only bright spot was the occasional forecheck pressure, but no chances to capitalize.

Win, lose, or split, I'm always glad when these series are over. I can't stand these guys.

I hope this rivalry matures (and the hate grows a little) among us fans. The teams have a pretty good animosity/respect level, it seems, but it has to catch on with the fans. Pio fans seem to be more like Badger fans--healthy wit, good sense of humor, and good hockey knowledge, and it's harder to grow the hate with that kind of fan than it is with the filthy-ground-dwelling-rats-who-shall-not-be-named.

But it is true that you are an extremely ugly, slow-witted, mouth-breathing, slope-headed, knuckle-dragging, cross-bred, cross-dressing bunch of misfits, so there's hope. As your own Pio might say it, you're a bunch of barking moonbats. I don't know how you stand each other all year long. If you don't marry outside your own fan-group now and then, it will only get worse.

[Twister]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

Disappointing game for DU last night. No question UND was the better team and deserved to win. They outskated and outworked DU, were more tenacious on the puck, and certainly executed better. From my perspective, the only disappointment for UND last night was it's another season without those green road Sioux jerseys, which were among the best in all of sports.

Conversely, DU was listless and sluggish for good portions of the game. Too many guys were standing around instead of initiating/seeking action. If the Pioneers want any chance for a split, they will have to show up and compete much harder. After tonight's game DU is off until Feb 7, so there's no excuse for anything less than maximum effort.

[A Shot and a Goal]

Re: All Things Denver XXXVII

On the heels of a desultory performance by the Pioneers last night in which they were thoroughly outplayed by an energetic Sioux team, there is one Denver player's performance on which I would like to comment.

After a terrific freshman year in which he was named the WCHA freshman of the year, Joey LaLeggia suffered the proverbial "sophomore slump" last season. Frankly, late in 2012-2013 I thought there were extended periods of time when LaLeggia was Denver's biggest liability in the defensive zone. Yes, his point production and plus/minus rating took nosedives from his freshman year, but more tellingly there were times he committed egregious turnovers which led to scoring opportunities and/or goals for the opposition.

LaLeggia's performance last night--and throughout this season as a junior--has been, and is, reminiscent of his stellar campaign as a freshman. Last night he initiated countless sorties from deep within Denver's defensive zone, through and then well into, Denver's attacking zone. Carrying the puck up the left boards and then breaking outside a converging Sioux defenseman, LaLeggia was responsible for initiating more time for Denver in the offensive zone than any of his teammates.

With his draft rights being held by the Edmonton Oilers, and with the Oilers well on their well to yet another abysmal season in the NHL, I've continued to wonder if LaLeggia will understandably not return for his senior season and "take the money and run" to start his professional hockey career at an as of yet to be determined spot in Edmonton's system of minor league affiliates. Frankly, whenever Denver's current season ends I won't be the least bit surprised if LaLeggia announces his immediate departure to an Edmonton affiliate. He has been superb this season far beyond his point production and it's a continuing pleasure to watch his resurgence.

Denver scored twice last night with both goals coming on the power play. Said in other words, it was a game in which Denver failed to score an even strength goal. My own assessment is that the current group of Denver forwards/centers lacks the ability/talent to create "time and space" for itself and other teammates which produce scoring opportunities and/or goals while playing at equal strength. Yes, Denver has scored frequently on the power play when both "time and space" are relatively more easy to produce owing to the manpower advantage. Most of the time in any game is spent being played at equal strength. With the team now 25 games into a 36 game regular season schedule enough time has passed to assess the strenghts and weaknesses of various elements of this season's Denver team. The forwrads/centers have not demonstrated they have the ability to score in equal strength situations. Until the current group develops such adeptness, or until such players are recruited who have such an ability, Denver's record will suffer.

Sam Brittain cannot be burdened with needing to hold the opposing team to zero, one or two goals each night in the hopes that his teammates will score just enough goals to win. The defensemen--who have produced goals far beyond reasonable expectation to this point in the season--cannot be saddled with the dual repsonsibilities of having to prevent the other team from scoring while needing to produce the bulk of the Pioneers' offense as well.

Denver has more than sufficient talent in goal and on the blueline to be competitive this season. With an eye to future seasons I think a demonstration of Jim Montgomery and his staff's effectiveness to recruit will be borne out by the number of scorers they are able to recruit--not merely for next season--but for seasons beyond that one.

Good luck to the team tonight. With an open week on the schedule next week, and seven of eight games on the road after that, a win tonight is of paramount importance in the quest to secure home ice for the playoffs.