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* ORIGINALLY From [log in to unmask] Fri Oct 28 00:26:51 1994
* From: JACK MCDONALD <[log in to unmask]>
* Subject: DU Hockey @ Michigan Tech Release
* To: [log in to unmask]
* Date: Thu, 27 Oct 1994 22:38:08 -0600 (MDT)
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This week: Denver (0-2-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) travels to Houghton, Michigan,
to play a two-game WCHA series vs. Michigan Tech (1-0-1, 0-0-0 WCHA).
Both games begin at 5:35 p.m. Mountain time.
Television: Neither game will be televised.
Radio: KYBG Sports Talk (1090 AM), the flagship station for DU hockey,
will broadcast live both games. Norm Jones will call the plays for the
13th straight season.
Head Coach George Gwozdecky (Wisconsin '78) enters his first year at
the University of Denver. He brings a wealth of experience and success
to his new position at DU. Prior to his appointment in May 1994,
Gwozdecky served as head coach at Miami University (Ohio) for five
seasons -- his first Division I job. During his tenure at Miami he was
twice named Central Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year
and posted an 83-96-19 (.467) record. In 1992-93 his team won the
school's first league title and he was named National Coach of the
Year in addition to being named CCHA Coach of the Year.
Prior to his stint at Miami, the 41-year-old coach served as an
assistant coach at Michigan State following a three-year stint as head
coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. At UW-River Falls he
compiled a record of 67-30-2 (.687).
Gwozdecky has been associated with national collegiate hockey
championships as a player, assistant coach and head coach. Last
Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at the Dane County Coliseum
he was honored as one of four new inductees to the UW Hockey Hall of
Fame. New York Ranger goalie Mike Richter, Ron Vincent and long-time
Wisconsin hockey announcer Paul Braun were the other inductees.
His association as an assistant coach for Michigan State's 1986 NCAA
Championship team, and as head coach of the UW-River Falls 1983 NAIA
Championship team, provides him valuable experience to succeed at
Denver.
Gwozdecky took advantage of the opportunity to maintain consistency in
his coaching philosophy and management style by luring his assistant
coaches from Miami to Denver. Steve Miller and Greg Drechsel, along
with equipment manager David Randolph joined Gwozdecky's staff at
Denver in September.
Pioneer Points: The Pioneers return 22 lettermen and lose only three
from last year's 15-20-3 team which finished ninth in the WCHA... the
only two newcomers to the '94-95 squad are Mike Dairon (RW, North
Vancouver, B.C.) and Anders Bjork (C, Stockholm, Sweden)... Dairon is
Gwozdecky's first signee at DU... Bjork sat our last season due to an
NCAA amateurism rule... sophomore forward Warren Smith returned to
action last weekend after a year in rehabilitation from major back
surgery.
DU vs. Michigan Tech: The two teams meet for the 152nd and 153rd times
this weekend. The all-time series dates back to the 1950-51 season.
Michigan Tech leads the all-time series 72-68-11 (.513) and has a
49-21-4 (.689) record in games played at MTU. DU has been swept at
Michigan Tech three of the past four trips dating back to 1990-91
season.
Tickets for DU home games: As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 24 more than 2,100
season tickets had been issued for the 1994-95 season. Nearly 2,000
tickets remain for the home-opener vs. North Dakota on Nov. 4.
Injuries: Junior winger Brent Cary (Indianapolis, Ind.) sustained his
fifth injury in two years during a drill in practice Monday, Oct. 10.
He collided head-on with senior defenseman John McLean at mid-ice.
Cary was diagnosed with a fracture of the left side of his seventh
cervical vertebra by team physician Dr. Robert Loeffler. The earliest
Cary is expected to return is Jan. 6-7 vs. St. Cloud State.
Mike Corbett (Green Bay, Wis.) sustained a torn medial collateral
ligament at 6:17 into the second period of last SaturdayUs game at
Wisconsin. His status will be determined later this week.
Reviewing the Wisconsin series (Oct. 21-22):
Friday, Oct. 21 (UW 4, DU 1)- The game was scoreless through the first
13:25 but the scoresheet was not blank as 18 minor infractions were
called between the two teams during the span. Wisconsin took a 2-0
lead, one goal on the power play, before Jason Elders scored at 15:05
into the third period. UW's Jamie Spencer came back to score just 33
seconds later when the Pioneers broke down in their own zone. Coach
Gwozdecky pulled goaltender Sinuhe Wallinheimo the final 1:29 for an
extra skater but Wisconsin scored an empty-net goal 20 seconds later.
Wallinheimo, who had 27 saves on the night, came up with some key
saves and handled rebound shots well. DU killed off eight of nine UW
power play chances.
Saturday, Oct. 22 (UW 6, DU 4)- The Badgers scored five unanswered
goals during a 20-minute stretch of the second and third periods to
secure the sweep of the Pioneers. DU took off with a 2-0 lead 30
minutes into the game. Wisconsin came back to score an even strength
goal 56 seconds later, and a power-play goal while John McLean was
serving a 5-minute major for checking from behind. On DU's second and
third goals Wisconsin answered with tallies less than a minute later.
Erik Andersson assisted on both power-play goals. Mike Naylor, Warren
Smith, Petri Gunther and Kelly Hollingshead each scored for the
Pioneers. Jim Mullin got his first start in goal on the season and had
35 saves. The Pioneers killed off 10 of 12 UW man-advantage
opportunities. Coach Gwozdecky was forced to play with five defensemen
through most of the game because Mike Corbett left the game at 6:17
into the second period with a torn medial collateral.
Practice times: The Pioneers will practice at the DU Arena from 3-4:45
p.m. Monday-Wednesday. On Thursday the team will practice at the John
J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena 6-7 p.m. and on Friday 11-12.
Travel Headquarters: The official travel party will stay at the
Franklin Square Inn (906) 487-6700. The team will arrive in Madison at
9:43 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, and return to Denver at12:40 p.m. on
Sunday, Oct. 23.
Next week: Denver will return home after its first two weeks on the
road and host North Dakota on Nov. 4 and 5 at the DU Arena. Game times
for both nights is 7:05 p.m. Prime Sports Network will televise
Friday's game live. KYBG radio will broadcast both games live.
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