Students lined up a day in advance for season tickets, merchandise flew off the racks and buzz around Denver was louder than ever, all for a DU three-peat, but it was not to be.
The Pioneers lost the first-round WCHA playoff series to Minnesota Duluth, March 10-12 and were eliminated from playoff action.
“It’s tough, it is one of those things you dont want to happen. We had a great run. It was truly special and it is tough to go out like this,” said senior captain Gabe Gauthier after the loss.
The Denver hockey team had lost seven players from the 2005 NCAA Championship team and had to change around roles and welcome another class of talented freshmen. The Pioneers thought senior Gauthier and sophomore Paul Stastny would lead the way, but many were surprised when sophomore Ryan Dingle and junior Matt Carle stepped up.
DU opened the season with a pair of losses to Maine on the road, but quickly bounced back with wins against Air Force and on the home opener against Notre Dame. The Pioneers then proceeded to go 3-4-2 in their next nine games and caused some moans around Denver about a 5-6-2 record to start the season.
“It was a roller coaster ride, it was up and down and even sometimes sideways, it was a great season, when we were low we battled back and when we were high we didn’t get too high,”said Gauthier about the season.
DU got the message and went 6-1 in their next seven games including a pair of wins over rival Colorado College. Then the holiday bug got the team as they lost three straight to Princeton, Ferris State and St. Cloud State, all at home.
The back-to-back champions once again bounced back and won seven straight, including two wins at then no. 1 and eventual 2006 NCAA Champion Wisconsin.
The Pioneers went 2-3-1 in their last six games including getting swept at Minnesota, which foreshadowed what was about to come.
DU was seeded second for the WCHA playoffs and set to play ninth-seeded Minnesota Duluth, which finished the season with a 9-23-4 record. Fans were already talking about the WCHA Final Five and NCAA Tourney when the Bulldog storm hit.
In the first game of a best of three series, DU got on the board first with a Stastny goal. Duluth bounced back with two straight goals to take the lead until Stastny scored again with four minutes left to send the game to overtime. Just a minute into overtime UMD scored and surprised many with a win in the series opener.
In the second game the Pioneers were fighting for their playoff lives and won 3-2. DU had a 1-0 lead in the final game, until the Bulldogs scored four goals in just under four minutes and held on for the series win.
“We fought very hard to put ourselves in position to get a second seed, and to not move on and prolong our post-season play is disappointing and it really hurts,” said head coach George Gwozdecky.
It was a disappointing ending for Denver, which will say goodbye to seniors Gabe Gauthier and Ted O’Leary and junior Matt Carle, who left early to join the San Jose Sharks of the NHL.
The Pioneers have a bright future with only three players leaving and numerous returning players with lots of skill and experience.
There will not be a banner raised at the home opener next season, but there will be another exciting year of DU hockey about to begin.
“It was a fun year and there are a lot of talented players on this team and I know next year they are going to be a great team because they are going to learn from this season, and I wish them the best,” said Gauthier.
