By: Brandon Rivera
We often get caught up in the glimmer of professional sports, patiently waiting for our favorite teams to win their way through the regular season and on to the playoffs with hopes of a championship and bragging rights.
The truth is, the reigning king of Colorado sports isn’t shiny, it isn’t well known, and it certainly doesn’t care about who’s coming or who’s leaving Colorado sports. The reason is simple; they are generally a bunch of gritty young kids who understand the well-proceeded reputation of their program and abide by it.
Over the weekend the Denver Pioneers won their ninth (tied for first all time with Michigan) NCAA Hockey Championship in Boston, after defeating the Minnesota State Mavericks 5-1. The 5-1 score isn’t indicative of how well the Mavericks played, in fact for most of two periods, the Pioneers trailed the Mavericks 1-0 with many believing that Minnesota State was well on their way to their second Championship after leading in shots-on-goal 18-8.
The Pioneers first goal didn’t come until almost five minute into the third period after Denver’s forward Ryan Barrow slipped the puck between the kneepads of Mavericks goalie Dryden McKay. Barrow’s goal set the tone for the period as Denver increased their pressure scoring the leading goal three minutes later during a power play when wide-open defenceman Mike Benning went top right shelf on McKay.
Four minutes later, Denver forward Massimo Rizzo added the Pioneers third goal with 6:26 left in the period. Denver’s last two remaining goals came on empty nets on Minnesota’s failed attempts to cut the lead.
The Denver Pioneers, with nine championship titles are the lone reigning Kings of Colorado sports. DU’s hockey program should be getting much more attention and respect from the residents of Colorado for their winning reputation. Congratulations Pioneers on your ninth record tying Championship! We can’t wait for next season.
In other sports the Colorado Rockies beat the L.A. Dodgers two games to one in their three-game home opening series over the weekend. The Rockies also defeated the Texas Rangers in extra innings on Monday to extend their record to 3-1, leading the National League. Though Colorado’s lead will likely be short lived, it’s nice that Rockies fans can say their team was first in the National League this season.
The Colorado Avalanche have won six straight since their loss to the Minnesota Wild at the end of March. The beat the Winnipeg Jets on Friday in overtime 5-4 on the first leg of their two-road-game stretch in Canada. The Avs visited Edmonton on Saturday to face the Oilers beating
them 2-1 in regulation.
Colorado will be at home for the next four games hosting the L.A. Kings on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. MST., the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night at 7 p.m. MST., the Carolina Hurricanes this Saturday night at 7 p.m. MST., and the Washington Capitals next Monday at 7 p.m. MST.
