Senior forward Gabe Levin charges down the ice, flanked by two Colorado College players in the first game of a series on Friday, Feb. 22, in which DU fell to CC 3-2.
It was a very disappointing weekend for the Pioneers and their fans as they dropped two games to rival Colorado College (CC), relinquishing the prestigious Gold Pan in the process.
Friday’s game took place at Magness Arena, where the CC Tigers were able to edge out the Pios 3-2. The series continued Saturday night in Colorado Springs, where CC once again defeated Denver by a score of 3-1. The two losses leave the Pioneers with a 14-12-6 record on the season with an 8-9-3 mark in conference play.
The Tigers’ wins move them up to 6-18-6 with a 6-9-5 record in conference play.
The Gold Pan, a traveling trophy awarded to the winner of the DU/CC season series, has changed hands in each of the past three years, with Denver winning in 2011 and 2013.
DU had won the series earlier this year, winning and topping CC in a shootout tie back in November. The Pios were expected to retain the trophy this year, as the Tigers entered the weekend with just four wins on the season and needing to defeat DU twice in order to win the Gold Pan.
CC took the lead early in Friday’s match with a first period goal by Jared Hanson. Sophomore Quentin Shore tied the game for the Pioneers in the second period before the wheels began to fall off for Denver. In a controversial call, Captain Zac Larraza was ejected for game misconduct after a contact-to-the-head penalty resulted in a five- minute major. The power play allowed the Tigers to blow the game open with a late second period goal by CC’s Cody Bradley. An early third period goal by Christian Heil gave the Tigers a two-score lead. A kneeing penalty by CC’s Jared Hanson seemed to light a fire under the Pioneers. Senior David Makowski hit a power-play goal to lift the Pios within one, although the deficit would prove too large to overcome.
“I’ve got to look at how I’m preparing the team because obviously on Friday nights—it’s been three Friday nights in a row where we’re sub par. So that falls on me and preparation and how I’m preparing them mentally and physically,” said coach Jim Montgomery.
Senior forward Gabe Levin charges down the ice, flanked by two Colorado College players in the first game of a series on Friday, Feb. 22, in which DU fell to CC 3-2.
Montgomery touched on that fact that the Pios again started the weekend off slow, an unfortunate habit for Denver. The Pioneers have not won a Friday game since Jan. 17 at Minnesota Duluth.
Saturday’s game also saw DU start off from behind. Aaron Harstad gave CC a short-lived lead before Junior Matt Tabrum tied it up for Denver late in the first period. An uneventful second period gave way to a two-goal third period for the Tigers as they came away with a 3-1 win, and the Golden Pan. Sam Brittain had 33 saves in the match, and allowed two goals before CC scored on an empty net with seconds left to play.
Coach Montgomery also discussed the issue of the Pioneers’ struggles in big games.
“We talked about it this week. I thought that our first game against CC on a Friday night there, and the first Friday night we had here against the North Dakota, rivalry games, and/or nationally televised games for whatever reason we start slow. And it happened again tonight.”
Denver will take on Western Michigan in Kalamazoo this weekend. The Broncos hold a 15-12-5 mark on the season with a 9-9-2 record in conference play. They also hold a two-point conference lead over the Pioneers, meaning this weekend’s game may prove vital to win home ice advantage in the quarterfinals of the NCHC Tournament.
