Pioneers walk softly in top-team territory

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jan 31, 2002 | by Dan Wolken

DENVER - Wade Dubielewicz is a young man, yet his hair is thinning. It's nearly gone on top, still long in the back. What's left, the University of Denver goaltender has streaked blonde.

Now that's confidence.

It's the confidence of sporting a minuscule 1.54 goals-against average and a 94.9 save percentage that just barely eclipses the Pioneers' winning percentage of 88.5.

It's the confidence that comes with a 23-3 record and No.2 national ranking.

It's the confidence that, in many ways, was built on the foundation of Denver's early November sweep of Colorado College.

As the teams prepare for their second go-round this weekend, Friday at DU's Magness Arena and Saturday at World Arena, the Pioneers look back on that series as one of the biggest chapters in their storybook season.

Picked to finish fifth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, a sweep of the preseason favorite Tigers gave Denver's step a lot of substance.

"I think the CC series was a big part of our success," said leading scorer Connor James. "They're a top-notch team. If you know you can beat a team like CC, you know you can beat pretty much any team out there. I think that was a big weekend behind our whole year."

The games couldn't have been closer.

In the first matchup at World Arena, Denver won 3-2 on an overtime goal that deflected off CC captain Mark Cullen's leg. The next night, the Tigers held a 2-0 lead just 3 minutes, 39 seconds into the game but ultimately lost 3-2.

The series was an important moment for CC (16-8-2, 10-7-1) as well. The Tigers had been badly outplayed in two games at North Dakota to open league play, and despite falling to 0-4, they began a turnaround shortly thereafter. From that deep hole, CC has clawed its way to fourth in the WCHA.

"The games could've gone either way," said CC senior Chris Hartsburg. "We didn't feel like we cheated ourselves by not working hard. We started to play well as a team and got a little momentum out of that."

The Pioneers got enough momentum to win 17 of their next 20, losing only to Minnesota twice and No.1 New Hampshire.

The streak has changed everything. There are more cameras, more interviews and more expectations than any of these Pioneers have experienced.

"In a way, we're expected to win every game now," Dubielewicz said. "We're looked at differently."

But DU claims no overconfidence. Being considered one of college hockey's top teams is still new territory. New enough that the Pioneers walk on it very lightly.

"I think you develop that kind of swagger over more than four months," said DU coach George Gwozdecky. "I think our guys are very aware that if we don't come out to play hard, we're setting ourselves up. I don't think we have a real swagger yet."

Dubielewicz might.

As the Pioneers lined up for a drill in Wednesday's practice, Dubielewicz leaned back on the goal and spread his arms over the crossbar, yelling something inaudible at the oncoming shooters.

Whatever Dubielewicz said, he was screaming confidence.

For Denver, it's been the song of the season.

- Dan Wolken may be reached at 636-0258 or dwolken@gazette.com