With only three hockey games remaining in the regular season, the Pioneers’ win song, “Whatever You Like,” by T.I. is echoing in the locker room.
“After a win, it’s the first thing we get going,” junior Brandon Vossberg said. “It gets our spirits up.”
The Pioneers still remain in a tie for the No. 1 spot in the WCHA with North Dakota and have moved up dramatically in the polls and are tied for the No. 4 spot in the all-important Pair Wise rankings, and it becomes more evident with each game that they can have whatever they like.
“We’re basically fighting, scratching, clawing and battling right now,” Vossberg said on the tight WCHA race. “We’ve lost our sole position of the league, but we’re still right there.”
Following their series sweep over Wisconsin over the weekend, Denver headed to the locker room and turned on this season’s win song, a song whose title will hopefully prove true as they enter post-season play.
“Every game from here gets bigger,” senior captain J.P. Testwuide said.
And the pressure is building, but the Pioneers are not cracking. They’re getting stronger.
“We’re starting to show much more resilience,” said head coach George Gwozdecky. “When we get down, when things are most difficult we are showing that great characteristic of courage and resilience to be able to mount a comeback, to never say die. We seem to get stronger at that point, and that’s as important as anything. That’s a sign of a team that’s really starting to develop.”
Especially sophomore goaltender Marc Cheverie, who recorded his third career shutout over the weekend, blocking a career-high 45 saves.
“Our biggest question mark prior to the season beginning was our goaltending and whether Marc would give us the kind of goaltending based on his lack of experience that would be successful,” Gwozdecky said.
“I would have to say that’s a resounding yes, he’s been able to do that.”
“Yes we do,” Vossberg said on whether or not the Pioneers can have whatever they like. “If we continue to play our best, all the other things will fall into place. There’s no doubt in my mind that we can be there in April.”
After the five-game road stretch, the Pioneers return to Magness Arena to conclude the regular season beginning with St. Cloud State on Friday and Saturday, and then a white-out against CC on March 7.
