Jan. 26, 2016 The DU Pioneers (12-7-5, 8-4-2-0 NCHC) will put their season-high eight-game unbeaten streak on the line this weekend when they travel to Oxford, Ohio to battle the MU RedHawks (9-11-3, 4-8-2-2 NCHC) in a two-game series at Steve Cady Arena. Both games will be televised nationally, with Friday's contest (puck drop - 5:00pm MT) set to air on the CBS Sports Network and Saturday's intraconference tilt (puck drop - 5:05pm MT) set to be broadcast by FOX College Sports. A list of local eateries that will have both of this weekend's games available for patrons to enjoy can be found below:
- Big Bill's NY Pizza
- Big Smoke Burger
- Boone's Tavern
- Crimson & Gold Tavern
- The Pioneer Restaurant
- Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant
- Stadium Inn
Radio play-by-play broadcaster extraordinaire Jay Stickney's call of this weekend's action can be heard on ESPN Denver 1600 AM on Friday and 104.3 FM The Fan on Saturday. Fans can get an early preview of #DUvsMU by tuning in to the Jim Montgomery Show on Wednesday night from 6-6:30pm on ESPN Denver 1600 AM.
Denver is the lone NCHC team and one of only eight NCAA squads not to have incurred a loss thus far in 2016. The Pioneers have outscored opponents 22-14 during their 5-0-3 run, with six of their goals having come on the power play (T-2nd, NCHC). Denver's team GAA of 1.75, meanwhile, ranks T-1st in the conference and T-9th in the NCAA.
READ: EVAN COWLEY EARNS NCHC GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Freshman DU forward Dylan Gambrell leads all NCHC skaters in scoring in January with 4G-8A-12P (8GP). Gambrell's linemates - junior Trevor Moore (T-2nd, 8GP-1G-10A-11P) and sophomore Danton Heinen (T-10th, 8GP-4G-3A-7P) - are also both among the conference's top ten point-producers for the month. Heinen (5GP-2G-6A-8P) and Moore (10GP-6G-5A-11P) have both enjoyed success against MU in their careers.
The RedHawks are coming off of a weekend sweep of their own, having downed the Mavericks by scores of 3-1 and 7-3 last Friday/Saturday in Omaha. Miami also won its last home game, capturing a 2-1 victory at the expense of Bowling Green State on January 16. In their 10 games prior, MU went 1-7-2 from November 13 - January 9.
READ: MATTHEW CAITO NAMED NCHC DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Freshman forward Jack Roslovic leads the RedHawks in scoring this season with 9G-9A-18P (23GP). The Winnipeg Jets prospect ranks T-3rd in the NCHC in points by a first-year player, six points behind Gambrell (24GP-7G-17A-24P) and nine points behind North Dakota's Brock Boeser (24GP-15G-12A-27P). Between the pipes, senior goaltender Ryan McKay has started 16 of Miami's 23 games, registering a 2.57 GAA and .905 SV% to go along with his 5-9-2 record. Fellow senior Jay Williams has been in net for all 180 minutes during MU's current three-game winning streak; he has stopped 82 of 87 shots (.943 SV%, 1.67 GAA) during his team's 3-0-0 run.
"Miami has been playing very well as of late," says DU bench boss Jim Montgomery. "They have a young, talented team and they always play well on home ice. This is a big series for both of us and we know we'll facing a hungry, determined RedHawks team. We'll definitely be ready to match their intensity."
Denver is 9-9-0 all-time versus Miami, a record which includes a 4-3 victory in the 2014 NCHC Championship Game. The Pioneers are 2-2-0 at Steve Cady Arena since the formation of the NCHC in 2013.
Following this weekend's series the Pioneers will enjoy a bye week prior to hosting the Fighting Hawks in a two-game series at Magness Arena on February 12 & 13. Tickets to both of these contests can be obtained by visiting DenverPioneers.com/Tickets.
