Pioneers Set to Face Rival North Dakota in Conference Opener
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The top-ranked University of Denver Pioneers hockey team kicks off its conference season this weekend against the No. 9 North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Action begins Friday at 6 p.m. MT and continues Saturday at 5 p.m. MT. Both games will be streamed live on NCHC.tv, with additional coverage on TSN 3 in Canada and Altitude in the Rocky Mountain region.
Denver enters the matchup with a perfect 10-0-0 record after sweeping Lindenwood University last weekend, with both games ending 4-1. The Pioneers’ strong start marks a new school record, surpassing the previous nine-straight victory record set in 2001-02. Noteworthy performances included defenseman Eric Pohlkamp’s three assists and forward Sam Harris’s decisive game-winning goals across the two games.
Currently, Harris leads the NCAA with nine goals in nine games, earning him the NCHC Forward of the Week title. Goaltender Matt Davis also shone, collecting the NCHC Goaltender of the Week honor following impressive performances in the crease, including 41 saves over the series.
On the other side, North Dakota is fresh off a two-game sweep of Minnesota Duluth, improving its record to 5-4-0. Historically, Denver has faced a tough rivalry with the Fighting Hawks, having a mixed record last season (1-3-0) in their four-game series.
As Denver celebrates 75 years of Pioneer hockey this season, fans can expect a thrilling contest as both teams have recently taken turns dominating the NCHC landscape. This is just the latest chapter in a storied rivalry dating back to 1950.
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Photo credit denverpioneers.com
