DENVER – The National Collegiate Hockey Conference has released its schedule for the 2023-24 campaign, and the Denver Pioneers open and close their 24-game league slate against in-state rival Colorado College.
Denver and Colorado College will play two home-and-home set during the season on Nov. 3-4 and March 8-9. DU starts conference play at home at Magness Arena against the Tigers on Friday, Nov. 3 in a rematch from the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semifinals. The Gold Pan series then heads Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs for games on Saturday Nov. 4 and Friday, March 9. The Pioneers wrap up the regular season against CC at Magness on Saturday, March 9.
DU's conference schedule also includes home and road series against North Dakota, Omaha, St. Cloud State and Western Michigan. Miami and Minnesota Duluth are the two squads that DU will only play twice during the year, as UMD is the only squad that won't travel to Denver during the season while Miami is the lone NCHC team the Pios won't visit. Denver plays at Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 16-17 and hosts Miami on Feb. 23-24.
The Pioneers begin conference play with five of their first six games and seven of their first 10 at Magness Arena. Conversely, Denver will play five of its final eight contests and nine of its last 14 outings away from the Mile High City.
Omaha makes its first trip to Denver since January 2022 on Nov. 17-18, and DU hosts rival North Dakota a week later on Dec. 1-2. The Pioneers resume conference play in the New Year against NCHC Frozen Faceoff champion St. Cloud State at Magness Arena on Jan. 12-13 and takes on Western Michigan on Feb. 2-3 for the first time at home since November 2021.
The NCHC Frozen Faceoff and the NCAA Frozen Four are both being held next year in St. Paul, Minnesota, at Xcel Energy Center—the home of the NHL Minnesota Wild. The NCHC Tournament semifinals and championship game are Friday and Saturday, March 22-23 and the Frozen Four is slated for April 11-13 at the home of the NHL's Minnesota Wild. The Pioneers are the only NCHC squad to qualify for the Frozen Faceoff in all nine iterations of the tournament.
The week prior to the Frozen Faceoff, the NCHC Tournament begins with the best-of-three quarterfinal series at campus sites on March 15-17. NCAA Regionals are scheduled for March 28-31 in Maryland Heights, Missouri; Providence, Rhode Island; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Springfield, Massachusetts.
Denver has won the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions each of the past two campaigns. DU posted a 30-10-0 overall record in 2022-23 and went 19-5-0 in NCHC play to earn consecutive conference titles for the first time since 1971-72 and 1972-73 in the WCHA.
The Pioneers will announce their non-conference games and full 2023-24 schedule later this summer.
Below is DU's NCHC schedule for next season.
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
| Nov. 3, 2023 |
vs. Colorado College |
| Nov. 4, 2023 |
at Colorado College |
| Nov. 17, 2023 |
vs. Omaha |
| Nov. 18, 2023 |
vs. Omaha |
| Dec. 1, 2023 |
vs. North Dakota |
| Dec. 2, 2023 |
vs. North Dakota |
| Dec. 8, 2023 |
at Western Michigan |
| Dec. 9, 2023 |
at Western Michigan |
| Jan. 12, 2024 |
vs. St. Cloud State |
| Jan. 13, 2024 |
vs. St. Cloud State |
| Jan. 19, 2024 |
at Omaha |
| Jan. 20, 2024 |
at Omaha |
| Jan. 26, 2024 |
at North Dakota |
| Jan. 27, 2024 |
at North Dakota |
| Feb. 2, 2024 |
vs. Western Michigan |
| Feb. 3, 2024 |
vs. Western Michigan |
| Feb. 16, 2024 |
at Minnesota Duluth |
| Feb. 17, 2024 |
at Minnesota Duluth |
| Feb. 23, 2024 |
vs. Miami |
| Feb. 24, 2024 |
vs. Miami |
| March 1, 2024 |
at St. Cloud State |
| March 2, 2024 |
at St. Cloud State |
| March 8, 2024 |
at Colorado College |
| March 9, 2024 |
vs. Colorado College |
| March 15-17, 2024 |
NCHC Quarterfinals
(best-of-three series, campus sites) |
| March 22-23, 2024 |
NCHC Frozen Faceoff
(Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.) |
| March 28-31, 2024 |
NCAA Regionals |
| April 11-13, 2024 |
NCAA Frozen Four
(Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.) |
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