Minnesota vs. Denver: One year and one day after Minnesota snapped a six-game losing streak to Denver at Mariucci Arena, the Gophers will visit Denver for the only two meetings between the schools this season. Minnesota will look to improve on its 92-69-12 record against the Pioneers all-time, which includes a 38-38-6 mark in the Mile High City.
Last season, Denver took the first game of the teams' lone series by a 2-1 score, but the Gophers earned a split the next night by taking a 7-3 win. Prior to that victory, Minnesota was held to three combined goals in its previous six contests against Denver.
About The Pioneers: According to the WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll, Denver was the preseason favorite to win the league after returning a strong core of players from a 2010-11 squad that was one win away from the Frozen Four. Plagued by injuries, the Pioneers went 8-7-3 in the first half of the season, but heated up by winning seven of their first eight games following the winter break. Last week, Denver conceded the Gold Pan to in-state rival Colorado College for the first time in three years and moved to fourth place in the league standings with a 2-0 loss and a 2-2 tie.
Denver's sixth-ranked offense is led by the Shore brothers, Drew (17g-23a) and Nick (7g-a17), and U.S. World Junior Team captain Jason Zucker (14g-19a). Defensively, the team is led in points by standout freshman Joey LaLeggia (10g-19a). The Pioneer blueline also includes highly-touted rookie Scott Mayfield (2g-4a) and 2010-11 All-WCHA Rookie Team member David Makowski (2g-10a). In goal, freshman Juho Olkinuora (6-6-3, 2.22 goals-against-average, .923 save percentage) and junior Adam Murray (8-2-1, 3.09 goals-against-average, .906 save percentage) have gotten most of the playing time, but 2010-11 starter Sam Brittain recently returned from offseason knee surgery. In two starts this year, Brittain has allowed four goals on 61 shots (.934 save percentage) and is 1-1-0.
