News & Notes From Around Pioneer Nation


(above) New DU Lacrosse Coach Bill Tierney talks about leaving Princeton and coming to DU

Kimberly Kim is at it again. Incoming University of Denver freshman Kimberly Kim of Hilo, Hawaii, moved into second place at the Junior PGA Championship at TPC River's Bend in Maineville, Ohio, with a 3-under-par 69 in the third round.

The AHL Chicago Wolves have signed center and DU Alum Kevin Doell. The 30-year-old forward spent five seasons in a Wolves sweater from 2003 to 2008, before joining Leksands-IF of the Swedish First Division, where he racked up 22 goals, 27 assists, 49 points and 105 penalty minutes in 37 outings last season.

Actress Mulling Senate Bid Arrested For Battery

(above) Actress Stormy Daniels who once appeared at a LetsGoDU Alumni Event with Scotty Owens impersonator Ron Jeremy was arrested this week in Florida

It's been a tough week for actress Stormy Daniels -- complete with a domestic violence charge and a car explosion -- as she continues to mull a U.S. Senate bid that could make life uncomfortable for incumbent first-term Louisiana Republican David Vitter, still recovering from a sex scandal.

Daniels was arrested Saturday on a domestic violence battery charge after she allegedly hit her husband at their home in Tampa, Fla., during a dispute about laundry and unpaid bills.

Her arrest came two days after her political adviser in Louisiana, Brian Welsh, said his parked 1996 Audi may have been blown up by someone on July 23 outside his apartment in an upscale downtown area of New Orleans.

"It's something out of The Sopranos," said Edward E. Chervenak, a professor of politics at the University of New Orleans. "Very weird."

In May, Daniels announced that she was interested in a 2010 run for the Senate seat held by Vitter, whose family-values reputation was marred in 2007 when his name was linked to a Washington prostitution ring.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Gregory Clifford, has not officially declared herself a candidate, but has continued to express an interest. She has acknowledged that she hasn't lived in Louisiana for years and would need to re-establish residency to run for Senate. The 30-year-old Louisiana native kicked off a second "listening tour" in early July.

Daniels was arrested Saturday at 3:18 p.m. after her husband, Michael Mosny, reported that Daniels hit him several times, according to a Tampa Police Department report. Police said neither Mosny nor Daniels were injured.

Mosny told police that Daniels was upset "about the way the clothes had been done" and then "got more upset about some bills that had not been paid," the police report said.

The police report said Daniels allegedly "threw a potted plant at the kitchen sink," hit Mosny on the head several times and "threw their wedding album onto the floor and knocked candles off coffee table, breaking them."

The bad week, though, started on July 23 when her political adviser's car blew up in suspicious circumstances in New Orleans.

Welsh, a Democratic adviser and manager of the Stormy Daniels Senate Exploratory Committee LLC., said his Audi convertible exploded into flames around 11:15 p.m. July 23, a Thursday, while he and his wife were walking their dog nearby.

Welsh said he had no suspects, but feared someone caused the explosion.

"I really wish this had not happened," Welsh, 38, said. "I need a car."

Chambers Interviews Newest DU Recruit Nick Shore

Mike Chambers Denver Post Blog features a Q & A session with DU's newest hotshot recruit Nick Shore. As always, we encourage you to leave comments on Chambers' articles to ward off bean-counting editors looking to save money by decreasing DU hockey coverage.

Chambers has been covering DU hockey for the past thirteen years or so and has great access to the team and the coaching staff. His blog is awesome because it allows him to go further into a story and add comments and opinions that would normally be left on the cutting room floor.

Hockey is DU's flagship sport with 80,000 alums on the Front Range, 120,000+ fans visiting Magness each season and a 60-year tradition of excellence. We need the Post's coverage on our favorite hockey team.

Its pretty obvious from the number of visitors to LetsGoDU this offseason that interest in DU hockey is at an all-time high. Lets keep it that way.

News & Notes From Around Pioneer Nation

(above) Fox Sports Rocky Mountain & DU hockey sideline reporter Alanna Rizzo was profiled in the Denver Post this week

The Denver Post profiled DU Hockey sideline reporter Alanna Rizzo. In January, Rizzo created a controversy by coming down hard on Grand Forks on hockey fans for what she described as obnoxious behavior during a game between DU and the University of North Dakota.

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The CHL Allen Americans announced today that they have acquired veteran defenseman and DU Alum Erik Adams from the Colorado Eagles in exchange for future considerations.

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The AHL Peoria Rivermen signed defenseman Adrian Veideman yesterday. Undrafted, Veideman attended the University of Denver where he won back-to-back NCC National Championships with the Pioneers. While at Denver, he was a teammate of Rivermen defenseman T.J. Fast during the 2006-07 season and was the recipient of the Dr. Ralph Verploeg Award as Denver's Most Inspirational Player that same season.

Berkhoel Re-signs With AHL Team

(above) DU Alum Adam Berkhoel resigned with the Pittsburgh Penguins AHL affiliate

From: MLN Sports

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed former DU goaltender Adam Berkhoel to an AHL contract, it was announced on Tuesday.


Berkhoel, 28, returns for his second season with the Pittsburgh Penguins top minor league team. He appeared in 28 regular-season games last year, posting a record of 15-11-2, a goals against average of 2.53, and a save percentage of .910. In November 2008, Berkhoel boasted a team-record shutout streak of 202:44 with three consecutive clean sheets, just 47 minutes shy of the AHL shutout streak record. Berkhoel also appeared in six Calder Cup Playoff contests, going 3-2 with an impressive .937 save percentage.


Berkhoel has appeared in nine NHL games during his five-year career, going 2-4-1 with a 3.80 goals against average.


The native of St. Paul, Minnesota has appeared in 77 career AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Grand Rapids, Rochester, and Chicago, going 30-35-6. He spent four seasons at the University of Denver (2000-2004), posting a 55-27-10 record with 10 shutouts and a 2.47 goals against average. He helped the Pioneers to an NCAA title in 2004.


Berkhoel was originally selected in the eighth-round (240thoverall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.

DU Receives Commitment From Nick Shore

(above) Two brothers have committed to DU and two more are waiting in the wings. DU's most recent recruit Nick Shore (16) poses with brothers Quentin (15), Drew (18) and Baker (9)

Mike Chambers of the Denver Post has all the details of Nick Shore committing to the University of Denver. Shore will most likely join his brother Drew on the DU team in 2010-11. This is a major commitment, on par with Tyler Bozak, Joe Colborne or Drew Shore in previous years.

Nick Shore spent the past season playing on the USNDP-Under 17 team with fellow DU recruit and future classmate Jason Zucker. DU's 2010 recruiting class will be anchored by two of the most exciting and talented forwards in the country, Zucker providing the speed and Shore the playmaking. Shore had 19 goals & 19 assists in 67 games, while Zucker chipped in 19 goals and 11 assists in 48 games.

Last season, Drew and Nick became the first brothers to play for the U.S. National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich. Drew was on the under-18 team and Nick on the under-17 squad.

Nick Shore is considered to be one of the top eligible American forwards in the 2011 NHL Draft.
DU's 2010 Recruiting Class
F Jason Zucker (U.S. Under-17)
D David Makowski (Green Bay, USHL)
F Nick Shore (U.S. Under-17)

DU Soccer Stadium Construction Photos

(Above) The crew rolls out the sod for the "pitch"

See more construction photos at www.DenverPioneers.com

With the opening of the new DU Soccer Stadium quickly approaching, construction crews are working to finish the project by the start of the school year. The lights have started to go up and the new grass is being rolled out. The grandstand is starting to become visible and the new strength and conditioning area is beginning to take shape.

“To see the sandbase go in and the new rolls of sod is incredible,” said men’s soccer head coach Bobby Muuss. “It is a great time to be a part of the Denver Soccer Programs as we look to have one of the premier soccer facilities in the country. We sincerely appreciate all the hard work that is going into making the the DU Soccer Stadium one of the best in NCAA DI athletics and can't wait to play our first game in the stadium."

Kim Falls In US Junior Championship Match

(above) Incoming DU golfer Kimberly Kim lost in the finals of the U.S. Girls Junior Championship on Saturday

From: Honolulu Advertiser

Amy Anderson of Oxbow, N.D., defeated incoming DU Freshman golfer Kimberly Kim, 6 and 5, to win the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship today at Bedminster, N.J.

It was the second runner-up finish for Kim in a United States Golf Association-sponsored tournament this summer. Anderson was the U.S. Girls' Junior stroke play medalist and top seed in match play.

Kim was plagued by putting problems and made just one birdie during the final.

After the two 17-year-old golfers halved the first six holes, Anderson took a 1 up lead, winning the par-4 No. 7 with a par and never trailed. Anderson got the lead to 3 up, but Kim won the par-4 No. 18 with a par to close it to 2 up. Anderson built a 7 up lead after 28 holes before Kim won the par-5 No. 11 (29th hole) with a par. The two golfers halved the next three holes giving Anderson the victory. She closing the match out at No. 13 with a two-putt par from 20 feet.

Kim, who will join the DU womens golf team this year, lost in the USGA's U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links final to Jennifer Song last month. Kim has been a U.S. Women's Open qualifier and winner of the Rolex Girls Championship this summer.

DU Golf Recruit Makes US Junior Amateur Final

From: Denver Post

Kimberly Kim, an incoming freshman at the University of Denver, advanced to the final of the USGA Junior Amateur championships Friday.

Kim won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2006 as a 14-year-old, playing against women more than 10 years older than her. Yesterday she played 14 holes in 7-under par in posting a 5-and-4 victory over Doris Chen of Bradenton, Fla.

Kim struggled with her putting in a 1-up triumph over Jennifer Johnson in the quarterfinals in the morning, but made everything with her putter in the semifinal. She also added an eagle on the par-4, third hole, sinking a wedge from about 57 yards.

Kim, who will face Amy Anderson of Oxbow, N.D. (Anderson attends North Dakota State University on an academic scholarship), in today's 36-hole final, is trying to become the first golfer to win the Women's Amateur and then the junior amateur, an event for players 17 and under.

Trump Watches DU Golf Recruit Kimberly Kim

(above) Incoming DU Freshman golf recruit Kimberly Kim takes a shot at the US Womens Junior Championships while Donald Trump looks on

Incoming DU Freshman Kimberly Kim has advanced to the quarter-finals of the US Women's Junior Championships at Trump National Gold Course in Bedminister, N.J. The Donald took a day off from swapping real estate and firing people on TV to watch some of the action.

News & Notes From Around Pioneer Nation

DU Hockey helps FSN Rocky Mountain Win a Regional Emmy Award: FSN Rocky Mountain won five Heartland Regional Emmy Awards Saturday night at the annual awards ceremony held at the Infinity Parks Events Center in Glendale. One of the Emmys was for technical achievement for its robotic camera during University of Denver hockey telecasts, set design, and for having the top Sports Editor in Joe Niebauer.


Former Red Wings Hockey Player Loses $43 Million in Ponzi Scheme:
Russian hockey player Sergei Fedorov filed a lawsuit in Michigan claiming Joseph Zada filched on a March agreement to pay him $60 million to compensate him for the $43 million Fedorov invested with Zada over the past 11 years.

"Zada, acting in concert with others, duped and defrauded Fedorov into believing, among other things, that he was a wealthy and highly successful investor, with whom Fedorov could 'invest' his earnings," the lawsuit charges. "Zada made his false misrepresentations intentionally, maliciously and recklessly, which has caused Fedorov to suffer humiliation, extreme outrage and indignation."

Court records and interviews show the famous hockey player, who recently signed a reported $4 million-a-year deal to join a team in his homeland, is far from alone. At least a dozen similar lawsuits, seeking the return of more than $20 million, have been filed against Zada in Palm Beach County and Michigan.


Moore Officially Jilts CC:
Colorado College’s top recruit, defenseman John Moore, signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, giving up his college eligibility.

Moore, a first-round draft pick this June, would have tied for the highest pick ever to step foot on the Colorado Springs campus. Instead, he will likely play for Kitchener of the Ontario Hockey League.


Chambers Blog Has More Info On Wiercioch's Return:
Mike Chambers has some interesting notes from the Patrick Wiercioch story that didn't appear in the Denver Post this week. With or without Wiercioch, DU was going to have great talent and depth this season. But with him, the Pios are complete. No visible weaknesses at any position.

PuckDaddy.com Profiles UND Lawn Boy Joe Finley

(above) UND hockey players Joe Finley & Matt Frattin were arrested on Tuesday night for disorderly conduct, fleeing and giving false information to police

Yahoo Sports hockey-centric website PuckDaddy.com profiled University of North Dakota whiz kid Joe Finley on Wednesday. They mocked his skating ability, mentioned some of his past indiscretions including slashing the University of Wisconsin mascot and finally wondered aloud why an NHL First Round Draft Choice would give false information to the Grand Forks Police. Its a good read.

Needless to say, the University of North Dakota was not impressed with the shenanigans and immediately announced a minimum two-game suspension for co-conspirator Matt Frittin, along with an order to attend counseling, and reducing his scholarship money for the 2009-10 year following his arrest for disorderly conduct.

UND Head Coach Dave Hakstol made several comments in the Grand Forks Fishwrap about the incident.
"We have very high expectations of our guys both on the ice and in the community and a lot of thought was put into this issue."
-UND Coach Dave Hakstol

North Dakota Hockey Players Arrested

(above) University of North Dakota hockey player Matt Frattin and former player Joe Finley were arrested on Tuesday morning

From: Grand Forks Herald
by Archie Ingersoll and Brad Schlossman

UPDATE: Finley & Frattin were booked at the Grand Forks County jail and then released on cash bond (Finley, $300; Frattin, $600) shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday.

A former UND hockey player and a current one were arrested about 3 a.m. Tuesday after a campus officer saw the men throwing cups, plates, a kitchen table and a lawnmower onto a Grand Forks street, UND Police Lt. Dan Lund said.

Joe Finley, 22, and Matt Frattin, 21, are both charged with disorderly conduct. In addition, Frattin faces a fleeing charge and Finley faces a charge of giving false information to officers. All the charges are misdemeanors.

Lund said Finley and Frattin were throwing objects from a residential garage on the 400 block of North Columbia Road, where one of the two men lives.

“It was their own property, so there was nobody’s property that was damaged other than their own,” Lund said. “They said they just kind of routinely destroy each other’s stuff.”

However, the pair managed to make a mess.

“There was glass from curb to curb from the dinnerware that they threw,” Lund said.

He said the debris created a hazard that traffic had to be directed around. Luckily, a street cleaning crew happened to come by and clean it up, Lund said.

When first approached by police, Lund said, Finley ran around a house but stopped when officers told him to. Frattin ran into a home, not stopping when instructed to, and was consequently charged with fleeing, Lund said.

Police said Finley showed them a credit card with someone else’s name on it. When asked if his name was the one on the card, Finley said it was, Lund said. At the jail Finley gave his real name.

Police said Finley told them somebody else gave him the credit card. Lund said police think the credit card belongs to a friend of Finley, but the matter is still under investigation.

Finley, a first-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals in 2005, played four seasons for the Sioux, scoring seven goals and adding 28 assists for 35 points in 154 games. He signed with Washington at the end of the season and participated in the team’s development camp earlier this month.

Frattin, an Edmonton native, scored 13 goals and added 12 assists for 25 points in 42 games as a sophomore last season. He was the team’s third-leading goal scorer and seventh-leading overall scorer.

For those of you keeping score at home...

UND Players Run-ins With The Law

July, 2006 - Robbie Bina Arrested For DUI
September, 2006 - Joe Finley Arrested & Kyle Radke charged with "Loud Party"
November, 2006 - Jonathan Toews Charged with "minor in consumption and noisy party gathering"
February, 2007 - Toews, T.J. Oshie & Bina arrested at Judy's Tavern
February, 2007- Grand Forks Police Chief Packett addresses team
April, 2007 - Toews & Oshie plead guilty
May, 2007 - Finley ordered to pay fine & perform community service
June, 2007 - Bina's trial date set for June 29th
December, 2007 - Oshie arrested again, this time for disorderly conduct allegedly after peeing in a dormitory elevator
July, 2009 - Finley & Matt Frattin arrested for disorderly conduct, fleeing from police and giving false information

Wiercioch Will Return To DU For Sophomore Year

(above) Patrick Wiercioch will return to DU this season

Patrick Wiercioch has announced that he will return to DU for his Sophomore season in today's Denver Post. With this news, DU will almost certainly be the preseason favorite in the WCHA and should be ranked #1 or #2 in the preseason national polls. [read entire article]

Minnesota Wild Sign DU Alum Dubielewicz

(left) Dubbie may be making a few appearances in the Pepsi Center this season

From: TwinCities.com

The Minnesota Wild signed veteran goaltender and University of Denver Alum Wade Dubielewicz to a one-year contract to add depth behind all-star Niklas Backstrom and backup Josh Harding. It is expected that Dubielewicz will replace Harding on the roster.

Dubielewicz, 30, a former All-American at the University of Denver, played in Russia's Kontinental League most of last season. A native of Invermere, British Columbia, he has 40 games of NHL experience with the New York Islanders and Columbus, producing a 2.64 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

DU Alumni Game Recap vs. Michigan

(above) DU Alum Wayne Wiste celebrates with some of his teammates hoisting the Championship Trophy in the 60 & Over "A" division after defeating the University of Michigan Alumni

Editor's Note: DJ Powers of Hockey's Future is in California this weekend covering the Snoopy Senior World Hockey Tournament. For the third straight year she agreed to write a series of articles for LetsGoDU about the DU Pioneers, an alumni team made up of former DU players from the Murray Armstrong era. We can't thank DJ enough for her outstanding commitment to this event.

Article by: DJ Powers
Staff Writer - NCAA
Hockey's Future

Future Considerations


DU scored three unanswered goals in their 3-1 win over tournament nemesis Michigan last Wednesday morning to successfully defend their Marcie (60A) Division title. Wayne Smith tallied the game-winner and Wayne Wiste added a goal and an assist in the Pioneers tournament finale.

Michigan, who came into the game after a stunning loss to Reno on Monday night, looked fired up coming out of the gate.

Both teams established a good pace early and generated several good scoring opportunities.

The Wolverines opened the scoring at the 6:17 mark when Bob Boysen’s shot banked off of Ron Grahame’s skate and into net.

Michigan generated some good pressure throughout the period, at times hemming the Pioneers in their own zone. At the other end, Denver generated many quality shots forcing Michigan goaltender Eric Hall to make several outstanding stops.

At the 9:34 mark, Bill Pettinger would tie the game on a tip shot in close.

The pace and intensity picked up considerably as the period wore on and both teams did an excellent job of driving to the net to create more scoring chances.

Wayne Smith gave DU the lead at the 17:48 mark when his shot slipped inside the near post off a rebound.

DU would get a chance to extend their lead to open the middle stanza thanks to a hooking call that was assessed to Dean Lucier at the 20:00 mark.

The problems that plagued the Pioneers power play in the previous game continued in this one. DU had trouble getting organized that was made more difficult by the penalty killing efforts of Michigan.

One area where DU excelled was their ability to slow down the speed of the Wolverines by taking away time and space. The Pioneers also did an excellent job of getting sticks into lanes as well. Meanwhile, Michigan’s passing struggled, particularly early on.

At the 15:40 mark, Wayne Wiste extended DU’s lead to 3-1 after tapping home a rebound amid the scrum in front of the Michigan netminder. The Pioneers had several whacks at the puck before it finally got in.

While DU had the momentum on their side in the latter stages of the period, they had also given up several odd-man situations to Michigan. But the Wolverines inability to connect on their passes resulted in squandering many great scoring opportunities.

Michigan came out firing once again when the final period got underway. DU netminder Ron Grahame was tested early and often.

At the 3:20 mark, matching minors were assessed to DU’s Pat Halas and Michigan’s Dave Sparks when the two got into a scuffle near the corner boards in the Wolverines zone.

Michigan would get an opportunity to get the equalizer at the 6:58 mark when Randy Harper was called for a trip.

The stellar DU penalty kill went to work and successfully kept the Wolverines off the scoreboard. Part of what had made their penalty kill so successful in this period was their shot blocking, which could be seen in both special teams and even strength situations.

And the DU penalty kill would get a lot more work too.

Like in Monday’s game versus Calgary, DU made regular trips to the penalty box in the third period.

The Pioneers next penalty came at the 10:45 mark when Markle was called for a trip.

While Michigan was given many opportunities to tie and even take the lead with DU’s many penalties, the solid Pioneers defense and equally sharp goaltending of Grahame kept them off the scoresheet and in the process frustrated the mighty Wolverines.

Michigan would apply some of their greatest pressure on DU late in regulation time thanks to an extra attacker and Don Cameron in the penalty box on a goaltender interference call. But the Pioneers held firm and got the win.

One of the biggest surprises of the tournament thus far was the fact that Michigan finished last in the Marcie Division this year – a rarity since the Wolverines have always had strong teams in the tournament.

Bold Meanwhile, DU finishes the 2009 Snoopy Tournament with a perfect 3-0 record.

Michigan went 0-for-6 on the power play. DU went 0-for-2 on the power play.

Box Score
First Period
Michigan 0-1 Bob Boysen (6:17) [Larry Covitz]
DU 1-1 Bill Pettinger (9:34) [unassisted]
DU 2-1 Wayne Smith (17:48) [Peter Markle, Wayne Wiste] (GWG)

Second Period
DU 3-1 Wayne Wiste (15:40) [Jim Wiste, Peter Markle]

DU Tournament Notes

DU outscored their opponents by a combined score of 14-3.

Peter Markle led DU in scoring with seven points (one goal, six assists). Bill Pettinger led DU with three goals.

Ron Grahame, Bob Peers, Randy Harper and Jim Fieldy were the only Pioneers held without a point.

Did you know?

Peter Markle produced the hockey film “Youngbloods” starring Rob Lowe.

Footnote: The entire DU Pioneers Snoopy Tournament team sends out a very big thank you to Marv Hall of Eagle Distributing for providing all the free beer. Thanks Marv!

Chamber's Blog Lists WCHA Coaches Salaries

Mike Chamber's Blog has a list of the WCHA coaches salaries and length of contract.
"Unofficially, DU’s George Gwozdecky is (deservedly) the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s highest-paid coach. According to documents I obtained from DU for a story we ran in June, Gwozdecky — who guided the Pios to the 2004 and 2005 NCAA titles — made $355,356 in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008." [read rest of article]

Photos Of DU's Championship Alumni Hockey Team

(above) The boys celebrate bringing home the Gold Medal in the 60 & Over "A" Division at the Snoopy Senior Hockey Tournament

Front Row: Peter Markle and Wayne Wiste
Back Row: Norm Kvern, Bill Pettinger, Bob Brawley, Jim Wiste, Wayne
Smith, Marv Hall (the guy who gave away the free beer!), Randy
Harper, Bill Caton, Don Cameron, and John MacMillan


(above) The ladies show off the Championship Trophy

(pictured left to right):
Barbara Jo (BJ) Smith - Wayne Smith's wife
Sandy Halas - Pat Halas' wife
Joanie Cunningham - Jim Wiste's girlfriend
Joline MacMillan - John MacMillan's wife
Dolli Peers - Bob Peers' wife
Mary Jo Kvern - Norm Kvern's wife
Marie Harrison - Don Cameron's wife
Gail Pettinger - Bill Pettinger's wife


(above) The Gold Medal

(above) A close-up of the Trophy

(above) The ladies pose with DU's 1964 WCHA Championship Banner

No Moore Defense At Colorado College

Western College Hockey is reporting via the Columbus Dispatch's website that prized CC recruit John Moore has jilted Colorado College. He's supposedly off to Kitchener in the OHL.

The handwriting was on the wall the minute the kid visited Kitchener last Spring after committing to Colorado College. Of course Scotty shouting from rooftops during the Tigers end of season banquet that Moore was, "Still coming to CC," only added to the drama and eventual tragedy.
"Defenseman John Moore, the Blue Jackets first-round pick in the recent NHL draft is expected to play for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League this coming season, the Dispatch has learned. An announcement is likely to come later this week.

The slick-skating Moore also was recruited by Colorado College.

Moore will attend Blue Jackets camp in September, but he not expected to play in the NHL for a season or two."

DU's AD Thanks Fans, Sponsors & Supporters

(above) DU's Atletic Director Peg Bradley-Doppes and men's tennis player Benny Althaus

On behalf of the University of Division of Athletics and Recreation, I would like to thank the DU season ticket holders, donors, corporate sponsors, fans and supporters for another successful athletic season in 2008-09!

The Pioneers enjoyed their second-best season since turning NCAA Division I just 11 years ago. DU finished No. 54 in the Learfield Directors' Cup after sending 11 teams to postseason competition. The Pioneers were also No. 1 in NCAA I-AAA, the Front Range and Sun Belt Conference for the second straight year. We captured our NCAA-record 20th NCAA skiing championship and women's golf finished a program-best fifth at the NCAA golf championships to highlight our team competition.

Here is a brief list of our athletic accomplishment from 2008-09:
11 NCAA Tournament Appearances
5 Conference Championships
9 Coach of the Year Honors
8 All-Americans
Individually, Antje Maempel was a two-time NCAA Nordic skiing champion and swimming's Blake Worsley had an outstanding senior season. All-American Jessica Lopez was a finalist for the prestigious Honda Award for Gymnastics.

The Pioneers also had an outstanding year in the classroom. DU won its ninth consecutive SBC Graduation Rate Award and tennis player Benny Althaus was the male recipient of the SBC Postgraduate Scholarship for superior academic achievement. Three Pioneers (Taryn Hemmings, Annette Aksdal and Tyler Ruegsegger) earned Academic All-America accolades.

Our continued success would not be possible without the love and support of our season ticket holders, donors, corporate sponsors and fans. We appreciate what you do for DU athletics and thank you for it.

The 2009-10 season is right around the corner. We hired two new coaches this summer (Bill Tierney and Jeremy Wurtzman) and anticipate reaching new heights in 2009-10.

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. See you soon!

Peg

TSN Video Profiles Tyler Bozak With Maple Leafs

DU's Boys Of Summer Whip Michigan; Win Tourney

First row: Norm Kvern, Peter Markle, Pat Halas, Bob Peers (laying down) and Don Cameron
Standing: Jim Wiste, Bob Brawley, Jim Fieldy, Bill Pettinger, Wayne Wiste, Randy Harper, Ron Grahame, Bill Caton, John MacMillan and Wayne Smith

Proving that DU's five National Championships in the 1960's were no fluke. DU's Alumni team defeated the University of Michigan Alumni 3-1 today in the Snoopy Senior Hockey Tournament. For the second straight year DU won the 60 & Older "A" Division.

Boston Globe Video On Joe Colborne

DU Alums Win 2nd Game At Snoopy Tournament

(left) Ron Grahame seen here during his playing days at the University of Denver in the early Seventies

Editor's Note: DJ Powers of Hockey's Future is in California this weekend covering the Snoopy Senior World Hockey Tournament. For the third straight year she agreed to write a series of articles for LetsGoDU about the DU Pioneers, an alumni team made up of former DU players from the Murray Armstrong era. We can't thank DJ enough for her outstanding commitment to this event.

Article by: DJ Powers
Staff Writer - NCAA
Hockey's Future

Future Considerations


The spectacular goaltending of Ron Grahame highlighted a terrific game that went down to the wire on Monday afternoon as DU hung on to beat the surging Calgary Old Buffaloes 3-2 in their second game in the Snoopy Tournament.

Calgary came into game fresh off of a 4-2 upset over the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday night.

The pace was rather cautious to begin with, but things would get going quickly as the game wore on.

DU drew first blood as Bill Pettinger opened the scoring at the 1:57 mark with a shot that slipped in between the Calgary goaltender’s pads.

Grahame was tested early as Calgary displayed some excellent puck movement.

The Old Buffaloes drew the first power play of the contest when defenseman Randy Harper was called for a hook at the 3:42 mark. DU’s outstanding penalty killing continued and the Pioneers did an excellent job of keeping many of Calgary’s shots to the outside.

Near the halfway point of the period, the Old Buffaloes nearly tied the game when the rolling puck was headed in the open net. Grahame would come up with one of his many sensational saves when he lunged back to grab the puck just before it was about to cross the goal line.

As the opening period began to go into its latter stages, the Pioneers found themselves on their heels a bit as Calgary applied some great pressure in the offensive zone. And at the 16:17 mark, that effort would pay off when Steve Richardson put in the equalizer that snuck in just inside the near post. The goal also ended Grahame’s shutout streak at just over 76 minutes.

About a minute and half later, Calgary would get the opportunity to take their first lead of the game when John MacMillan was called for a hook at the 17:43 mark.

The second period began with DU shorthanded with 46 seconds left on MacMillan’s hooking call. While DU successfully killed their second penalty of the game, it did little to slow the Old Buffaloes momentum. Calgary continued to test Grahame, and the DU netminder put on a clinic with some acrobatic saves.

The Pioneers would regain the lead once again at the 2:54 mark when Norm Kvern potted a nice goal off of a rebound chance.

DU would get an opportunity to extend their lead further on their first power play of the tournament. That came at 4:15 when Calgary’s Jeff Bowles was called for body checking. [Note: The Snoopy Tournament is a non-checking tournament].

While the Pioneers enjoyed success on the penalty kill, the same couldn’t be said for their power play. Calgary’s great defensive coverage allowed DU little time and space to setup their power plays. That resulted in some good shorthanded opportunities for the Old Buffaloes as well.

As the game reached the midway point of the period, the game had opened up considerably, but both teams were also guilty of giving the other some odd-man chances as the period entered the latter half.

One odd-man situation led to the Pioneers’ next goal at the 15:48 mark. MacMillan, who got together on the play with Pettinger, finished it with a terrific wrist shot that beat the Calgary netminder for the 3-1 score.

With the period winding down, Calgary would get into some penalty trouble giving DU another chance to extend their lead yet again. This time, it would be a five-on-three opportunity. At the 17:08 mark, the Old Buffaloes’ Bob Bridger was called for a slash. Two minutes and ten seconds later at the 19:18 mark, Bowles would be called for an elbow.

The final stanza began with DU on a five-on-three for seven seconds and another 2:10 on the man-advantage. Once again, DU struggled to get their power play together and their golden opportunity to potentially put the game out of Calgary’s reach was squandered.

After successfully killing off a five-on-three Pioneers power play, Calgary stepped things up and would go on to dominate DU in the period.

At the 2:00 mark, Harper was called for interference, giving the Old Buffaloes their third power play of the game. DU once again killed off the penalty, thanks in large part to some great saves by Grahame.

As the period wore on, the intensity was slowly being ratcheted up as things were beginning to get heated between the two teams.

Nearing the midway point of the period, the many whistles that were suddenly so prevalent effectively killed whatever momentum each team had established to that point. And the resulting frustration of both teams was quite visible. When the many whistles subsided, DU once again found themselves back on their heels as Calgary was applying some outstanding pressure once more. The pressure would again pay off for the Old Buffaloes as defenseman Bob Brawley was called for body checking at the 12:27 mark after drilling a Calgary player. On the ensuing power play, Calgary would notch their second goal of the game at the 14:51 mark when Rick Schillington’s shot snuck under a sprawling Grahame and into the net.

And it wouldn’t get any easier for the Pioneers either.

DU’s parade to the sin bin continued at 18:20 when defenseman Bob Peers was called for interference. Down a goal and with time winding down, the Old Buffaloes pulled their goaltender for a six-on-four power play. Calgary relentlessly threw everything they had at the DU net to tie the game again. And in the waning seconds of regulation time, Grahame made his best save of the game with an unbelievable toe-save to give DU the win. It was a fantastic finish to a fantastic game.

DU went 0-for-3 on the power play. Calgary went 1-for-5 on the power play.

Next up, the University of Michigan Wolverines on Wednesday.

Box Score

First Period:
DU 1-0 Bill Pettinger (1:57) [John MacMillan]
Calgary 1-1 Steve Richardson (16:17) [Ron Wright]

Second Period:
DU 2-1 Norm Kvern (2:54) [Peter Markle]
DU 3-1 John MacMillan (15:48) [Bill Pettinger] (GWG)

Third Period:
Calgary 3-2 Rick Schillington (14:51) [Steve Richardson, Harry Poon]

DU Hockey Alums Win 1st Game @ Snoopy Tourney

DU crushes Reno 8-0 in Snoopy Tournament opener.... University of Michigan Alums lose to Calgary in 1st game


Editor's Note: DJ Powers of Hockey's Future is in California this weekend covering the Snoopy Senior World Hockey Tournament. For the third straight year she agreed to write a series of articles for LetsGoDU about the DU Pioneers, an alumni team made up of former DU players from the Murray Armstrong era. We can't thank DJ enough for her outstanding commitment to this event.

Article by: DJ Powers
Staff Writer - NCAA
Hockey's Future

Future Considerations


Some brilliant goaltending by Ron Grahame and a five-goal outburst in the second period propelled DU to an 8-0 rout of the Reno Aces on Sunday in the Marcie (60A) Division opener.

Like the beginning of last year’s meeting against Reno, DU got off to a slow start once again. While the Pioneers generated some good scoring opportunities early in the opening stanza, they failed to beat the Aces’ goaltender.

For much of the first half of the first period Grahame saw few shots, but that would change in the latter half of the period as both teams had settled in and Reno began to generate some good scoring chances of their own.

At the 13:33 mark, Reno would get the first power play opportunity of the game when defenseman Bob Peers was called for a hook.

DU successfully killed off the penalty and went back to work.

At the 19:05 mark, defenseman Bob Brawley got the Pioneers on the board first with the eventual game-winner when he flipped a backhander over the Aces netminder. Wayne Smith, who has been moved to forward in the tournament, and newcomer Peter Markle drew the assists.

The combination of excellent puck movement by DU and poor defensive coverage by Reno led to a dominant performance by the Pioneers in the second period.

The scoring outburst began at the 3:50 mark when Smith put home a rebound to put DU up 2-0. Just 53 seconds later at the 4:43 mark, Caton made it 3-0 DU when he blasted in a shot from the point.

The barrage in front of the Reno would be a recurring scene throughout the period as the Pioneers relentlessly peppered the Aces netminder.

One problem that plagued the Reno goaltender throughout the game was controlling rebounds. And that led to DU’s next goal at the 7:11 mark by Caton.

While Grahame wasn’t quite as busy as his Reno counterpart, he was rock solid when called upon. The few quality chances that Reno generated in the period were effectively shutdown by Grahame and the stingy DU defense.

Bill Pettinger would extend the Pioneers lead to 5-0 after his shot went five-hole on the Aces netminder at the 13:40 mark.

Reno would get another chance to get on the board at the 17:03 mark when Pettinger was called for hook. However, it would be DU that would get on the board instead.

DU’s only special teams goal of the game came at the 18:00 mark when Markle tapped home the shorthanded tally.

The Pioneers began the final period with 23 seconds left in Pettinger’s hooking penalty. [Note: Minor penalties in the Snoopy Tournament are three minutes long]. Once again, DU was successful in their kill and it didn’t take long before the scoring got going once again.

At the 1:27 mark, Jim Wiste put the Pioneers up 7-0 off of another rebound chance. Shortly thereafter, the frustration of the Aces began to show as one of the Reno players momentarily tangled up with one of the Pioneers.

About four minutes into the period, the Aces would generate some good scoring chances only to see them stopped by Grahame.

Reno would get another shot at getting on the board at the 13-minute mark when Pat Halas was called for trip. Shortly into the power play, Grahame would make arguably his best save of the game when he made a beautiful, sprawling save on a two-on-one chance.

DU would give Reno a glorious opportunity to spoil Grahame’s shutout bid when Markle was called off for a trip at the 8:34 mark, giving the Aces a two-man advantage for 1:28. And while Reno had perhaps their best power play of the game, Grahame and the Pioneers defense stood tall, effectively killing off both penalties.

Halas would put the frosting on the cake for DU when he put home a rebound at the 15:43 mark.

While the game was well out of reach for Reno at this point, Grahame shutout bid was not. The Aces came very close to getting one by the Pioneers netminder with just over a minute left in the game when the Reno player’s shot had just missed going into the open side of the DU net.

When the final buzzer sounded, DU not only won, but preserved the shutout for Grahame as well, who had made several crucial saves throughout the contest.

Reno went 0-4 on the power play. DU did not have a power play in the game.

Next up, the Calgary Old Buffaloes on Monday.

Colborne Showcased Talent At Bruins Camp

(above) Joe Colborne just spent a week at the Bruins Development Camp

From: Telegraph & Gazette
by Bud Barth


Bigger isn’t always better in hockey, as former University of North Dakota player Brandon Bochenski learned in the summer of 2007. While trying to improve his lot with the Bruins, he packed on 15 extra pounds of muscle, lost whatever speed he had and wound up throwing that weight around as a power forward mostly in the American Hockey League.

That, however, isn’t likely to be the case with “Jumbo” Joe Colborne, Boston’s first-round draft pick last year and the towering, 6-foot-5 exception to the averaged-sized wanna-B’s at the just-concluded third annual Bruins Development Camp at Ristuccia Arena.

Colborne, taken with the 16th pick overall in 2008, has added 10 pounds since last year’s development camp. There were even reports that he had grown an inch to 6-6, but those aren’t true.

“It just depends who’s the one measuring you,” the 19-year-old sophomore-to-be at the University of Denver said with a grin. “I’ve heard myself (mentioned) anywhere between 6-4 and 6-6, but the official (figure) is 6-5 and 206.2 (pounds), as of two days ago.”

The extra weight (he was 196 last year) has more places to go on his larger frame, so Colborne — unlike the 6-1 Bochenski — hasn’t been slowed down at all.

“If anything, I feel a lot faster than last year,” said Colborne, who looked pretty slick on the Ristuccia ice surface. “I haven’t put on a lot of fat weight — it’s been all muscle and a lot through my legs. I still haven’t put that much muscle on my upper body yet, but the biggest thing I noticed is my legs — I had to go buy new jeans and stuff like that.”

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by Don Sweeney, the Bruins’ director of player development and the man overseeing the camp.

“He has gotten stronger and … that first step is much more explosive,” Sweeney said, “and that’s only going to benefit him. As guys try to bear down on him, he’s going to be able to push through that, and a year ago I wouldn’t necessarily have agreed he could do that.”

Physically, Colborne wants to become like Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby — at least below the waist. “His legs are monstrous,” Colborne said.

Style-wise, the Calgary native said he always was a fan of another Jumbo — ex-Bruins center Joe Thornton — but he wants to pattern his game after Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf, who is coming off a 91-point season (with 25 goals) for the Ducks, not counting 18 points in 13 playoff games.

“I’m a bit more of a shooter than Thornton is, but I try to pass first,” said Colborne, who had a pretty good freshman season at Denver (10 goals, 31 points in 40 games). “Getzlaf has a great mix, he’s tough out there. … He’s the complete package right now, probably one of the top players in the world.”

Colborne, who really is nicknamed Jumbo, said he bolstered the physical part of his game at Denver. He did so partly by adding weight — “I wasn’t quite the lanky kid I was at the start of the year,” he said — and also by adding confidence.

“Coming from Junior A, a lot of people were doubting whether I could play at a higher level or not,” he said, “but by the halfway mark of the year, I was really kind of coming into my own and answering those questions myself.”

While Colborne is excited about Denver’s chances of winning an NCAA championship this winter — the Pioneers finished 24-12-5 last season but have “three stud defensemen” coming in as recruits — he can’t get the NHL out of his head.

“I want to be a Bruin as fast as I can,” he said, “so whatever path they (Bruins) want me to take, I’m kind of at their whim.

“If I’m there (at Denver) for four years, I won’t be too happy.”

CC's Star Recruit STILL Can't Make Up His Mind

(left) Colorado College star recruit John Moore is having trouble deciding between playing at CC or for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL

Colorado College star recruit John Moore said on Thursday that he hasn’t yet made his decision between playing in college or going to junior hockey this fall. He appears to still be on the fence about his choice, which he has said is a difficult one.

Moore was the 21st pick of the NHL draft last month, to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Obviously, the longer this drags out, the higher the probability that he will play major junior hockey for the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL.

Although Moore is likely to only play a season at CC, losing a player of the calibur of Matt Carle or Patrick Wiercioch would be a major blow to the Tigers this season.

Rakhshani Plays On Tavares Line At Camp

(above) John Tavares was selected with the overall #1 pick in the June NHL Draft

DU Captain and Senior winger Rhett Rakhshani was teamed with NHL #1 overall pick John Tavares in drills yesterday at the New York Islanders Development Camp. In line drills, Tavares centered Matt Martin and Rakhshani.

It must have been a thrill for Rakhshani to be working alongside one of the best young players in the world. One Islander fan noted, "The line is actually pretty good. Toughness and size from Martin, Tavares with his scoring touch, and Rhett’s speed. All three can score."

DU incoming Freshman Matt Donovan is also at the Islanders Camp this week.

Phillips Does Well At Blackhawks Camp

From: Post-Tribune.com
by Len Ziehm

"I think that everyone at camp is very talented and there are quite a few players that have a lot of skill. Kyle Beach, real good player; Akim Aliu, very skilled; Brandon Pirri, very skilled player and tough to play against; and Bill Sweatt [CC player], very very fast -- one of the fastest players I’ve played against. And there were a lot of college players that really impressed me. Mark Arcobello is very talented, and like I said, everyone here has a lot of skill. It’s tough to play against these guys."
-Paul Phillips at the Chicago Blackhawks Development Camp

CHICAGO -- Homegrown players have been a rarity for the Blackhawks. Eddie Olczyk, now the team's TV analyst, played in 322 games with the club from 1984-2000 and Craig Anderson, now a goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche, was on the roster off and on from 2002-06.

Next of this rare breed could be incoming DU Freshman Paul Phillips, a defenseman from Darien, Ill., who completed his first prospects camp with the Hawks on Friday. He was their seventh choice (195th overall) in last month's NHL draft.

The Hawks drafted only two defensemen this year, first-rounder Dylan Olsen and Phillips, and Phillips held his own during the five-day camp. General manager Dale Tallon was impressed.

"He's maintenance free. He makes no mistakes," said Tallon. "I love our young defensemen. They're very good, very mobile, and they can skate."

Phillips played for the Cedar Rapids Roughriders in the U.S. Hockey League last season and will attend the University of Denver in the fall. This week's first prospects camp won't likely be the last for him.

"It's something to put on the Blackhawk jersey. This was truly a remarkable scene," Phillips said.

Phillips grew up a Hawks' fan and saw some playoff games this season after his season ended in Cedar Rapids.

"Getting drafted by a great organization, an Original Six team.....it can't get any better than that," said Phillips. "(The Hawks) had a few tough years, but you stay a Blackhawk fan at heart when you grow up in Chicago. It was good to see the fans (at Johnny's Ice House). It shows what a backbone the Hawks are for this city."

Phillips knows he's got some work to do if he's going to make it to the NHL. The prospects' camp showed him that.

"You've got to be strong, physically and mentally, to play at such a high level," he said. "The whole pace of the game was so fast. You've got to be on your toes at all times."

That was especially true for Friday's last day of scrimmages.

Bozak's Competitiveness Draws Attention

(left) DU alum Tyler Bozak hopes be on the Maple Leafs Roster on Opening Night

From: Canadian National Post
by Michael Traikos


TORONTO -- A fire burns inside Tyler Bozak.

The spark started when he was passed up in the NHL Draft. Since then, the flicker has turned into a flame whenever the game is on the line and a big goal needs to be scored. But every now and then, something will cause him to overheat.

"I like the fire," Bozak's University of Denver head coach, George Gwozdecky, says of his star student. "But not always how it ends up."

For example, Bozak doused himself in proverbial lighter fluid in a Dec. 12 game against Minnesota State. An opponent stuck out his leg and tripped the Regina native. No penalty was called. So the fuming forward scraped himself off the ice and took it upon himself to seek vigilante justice.

For the next 20 seconds, Bozak hunted down his hit-and-run assailant. But when he finally had his target lined up for a bodycheck, he missed and both players' knees collided awkwardly.

The incident cost Bozak 21 games and three months of rehab after he had to undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus. It also took him out of the running for the Hobey Baker Award as the nation's top player and hurt his team's chances of making a run at the NCAA championship.

But, if anything, that competitive fire was the primary reason the 23-year-old became one of the most attractive college free agents this year.

"That's what stood out the first time I watched him play," said Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, whom signed Bozak to an entry-level contract in April.

"The first time I saw him play was probably the worst game he played in college. His team got spanked at home and he probably only had two shots on net. But I still loved how the rest of his team sagged and he just kept on battling.

"He was average at best, but I still liked him."

For most of his two-year NCAA career, Bozak was anything but average. He led the Pioneers in scoring with 34 points in 41 games as a freshman. And last season, despite playing just 19 games, he finished with 23 points and a team-high plus-14 rating.

But aside from his points or his ability to kill penalties or win crucial face-offs, Bozak's biggest asset is his Chris Drury-like character and competitiveness.

Those qualities were on display when Bozak returned from injury against Miami of Ohio for the West Regional semi-final. He may have been rusty and barely healed. But he still scored a goal and an assist in the 4-2 loss.

"I definitely wasn't 100%," he said, "but it was a do-or-die game and I felt I could help spark the guys on our team and just do what I could do out there to help them."

The Leafs, who beat out about 25 other NHL teams to acquire the late-bloomer, believe Bozak can also provide a spark to its rebuilding dressing room.

Burke said the signing was the equivalent to acquiring a second-round draft choice. But unlike Toronto's actual draft picks this year such as seventh-overall selection Nazem Kadri, Bozak is the only one expected to immediately jump into the NHL.

"I've had probably 20 general managers after we signed him say he'll be on our team next year," Burke said. "Because he's older and more developed, I would put him in a different class."

Indeed, Bozak -- and Toronto's other college free agent Christian Hanson -- is four years older than Kadri and most of the other players at this week's rookie camp. But after going undrafted and missing most of last season, he realizes that his dream of playing in the NHL can be snuffed out as easy as a flame.

"I definitely know that the team's not made yet," said Bozak, who has been training in Toronto for the last month. "I just want to come out and try to earn my spot. It's kind of always been like that. I've always been an underdog to make a team. But I've been lucky enough to make a few. So hopefully I can have a good camp and see what happens there."

Paukovich At Edmonton's Development Camp


(above) DU Alum Geoff Paukovich was interviewed at Edmonton's Player Development Camp

Tyler Bozak Interviewed On NHL.com


(above) Former DU player Tyler Bozak is interviewed during the Toronto Maple Leafs Development Camp

DU Hockey Alumni Snoopy Tournament Preview

Editor's Note: DJ Powers of Hockey's Future will be in California this weekend covering the Snoopy Senior World Hockey Tournament. For the third straight year she agreed to write a series of articles for LetsGoDU about the DU Pioneers, an alumni team made up of former DU players from the Murray Armstrong era. We can't thank DJ enough for her outstanding commitment to this event.

Article by: DJ Powers
Staff Writer - NCAA
Hockey's Future

Future Considerations


The reigning Marcie (60A) Division gold medalists Denver Pioneers will be looking to successfully defend their title when the 34th annual Snoopy’s Senior World Hockey Tournament gets underway on Saturday in Santa Rosa, CA.

This year’s Marcie Division is shaping up to be one of the best in recent years.

Unlike in previous years, DU opens and wraps up play in the first half of the tournament this year. The Pioneers open Marcie Division play for the second consecutive year against the Reno Aces on Sunday, July 12. Reno, the Marcie Division bronze medalists, took DU to overtime last year before falling 4-5.

The Pioneers next opponent is the Calgary Old Buffaloes on Monday, July 13. The Old Buffaloes, who are making a return to the Snoopy Tournament this year, is one of four teams representing the city of Calgary in the tournament.

DU concludes tournament play on Wednesday, July 15 when they face-off against their tournament nemesis, the University of Michigan. This is the game that both teams circle on their respective calendars when the tournament schedule is released every year. It is by far one of the best and most hotly contested matches of the entire tournament. The Red Berenson-led Wolverines will be looking to exact some revenge on the Pioneers after a 2-3 loss in last year’s Marcie Division championship game. And if the recent Snoopy Tournament matches between these two storied teams are any indication, this year’s contest will certainly have no shortage of excitement and fireworks.

Most of last year’s team remains intact with a few changes (see roster listing below). Ron Grahame returns in goal, while long-time regular Bill Goodacre will not play due to injury. However, he may make the trip with the team.

Also missing from this year’s roster are DU’s top scorer in last year’s tournament Tom Miller, and defensemen Blake Emery and Peter McEwen due to other commitments.

The Pioneers will welcome two new defensemen to this year’s squad in Bill Caton and Randy Harper. Both players hail from Red Deer, Alberta.

2009 DU Pioneers Snoopy Tournament schedule (all times are PST)

Game #1: Sunday, July 12 @ 9:10am vs. Reno Aces
Game #2: Monday, July 13 @ 12:20pm vs. Calgary Old Buffaloes
Game #3: Wednesday, July 15 @ 7:45am vs. University of Michigan Wolverines

2009 DU Pioneers Snoopy Tournament Roster
Goaltender
Ron Grahame (DU 1970-1973)

Defensemen
Wayne Smith (DU 1963-66)
Bob Peers (DU 1963-66)
Bob Brawley (Michigan State 1964-67)
Bill Caton
Randy Harper

Forwards
Wayne Wiste (DU 1965-67)
Don Cameron (DU 1964-67)
Jim Wiste (DU 1966-68)
John MacMillan (DU 1957-60)
Bill Pettinger (DU 1969-71)
Norm Kvern (DU 1964-65)
Pat Halas

Avs Sign DU Alum Brett Skinner

(left) Brett Skinner has been on a long winding road since leaving DU in 2005

The Colorado Avalanche have signed defenseman Brett Skinner yesterday. Skinner, a former standout at the University of Denver has spent most of his professional hockey career bouncing around the AHL.

Twenty-six-year-old Skinner made his NHL debut during the 2008-09 season, appearing in 11 games for the New York Islanders. The Brandon, Manitoba, native spent most of the season in the American Hockey League, totaling 35 points in 61 combined games with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Chicago Wolves.

Skinner played three seasons at the University of Denver, where he was a member of the school's back-to-back national championship teams in 2004 and 2005. He was slated to be Captain of DU's 2005-06 team when he signed a contract with the Vancouver Canucks and assigned to Manitoba in the AHL. Within a few months he was shockingly traded to the Anaheim Ducks organization and his fast track to the NHL was derailed.