The Pioneers will play for 3rd best in the WCHA before moving on to the NCAA Tournament next week
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The University of Denver Pioneers (27-8-4) will face off against the University of Wisconsin Badgers (24-10-4) today at 1:07pm MST in the final round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament.
After failing to come back from a 3-1 deficit yesterday versus the North Dakota Fighting Sioux, a loss in the 3rd Place Game today would make this WCHA tourney an abject failure for the top-ranked Pioneers. Denver has had its strongest regular season in 2009-2010 since their last NCAA Championship win after the 2004-2005 season. The Pioneers also won the WCHA Tournament that year.
While this game is not a must-win as far as the NCAA Tournament is concerned, it would be disappointing to see such a strong season end in conference championship losses against two of Denver’s traditional nemeses. Denver beat the Fighting Sioux in the 2005 NCAA National Championship Game a year after their thrilling 1-0 finals win versus the Maine Black Bears. Those back-to-back National Titles broke the Pioneers out of a 35-year NCAA Championship drought.
Denver has battled for decades for most WCHA Tournament wins, with the Pioneers behind 13 Titles to 14 for the Fighting Sioux. The Pioneers last won the WCHA Tournament Title in 2008.
This season the Pioneers feature a lineup led by Seniors Rhett Rakhshani & Tyler Ruegsegger, a native of Lakewood, Colorado. Junior goaltender Marc Cheverie has been hot and cold this season, and Denver will need a strong showing from him in this game. Cheverie will have to be even better if the Pioneers hope to make a run to the NCAA Frozen Four and Finals.
The game is not showing on local Colorado television, however you can see the game on Fox Sports North (Minneapolis, MN), DirecTV 668 & Dish Network 436. The game can also be found in live streaming audio here.
