Colorado College Tigers at No. 1 Denver Pioneers

Game Notes: Colorado College | Denver | NCHC
Date: Friday, Dec. 8
Time: 7:05 pm
Location: Denver, Colo.
Venue: Magness Arena (6,026)
Radio: KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM / 1240 AM | KSBV 93.7
            Ken Landau | Play-by-Play
TV: Altitude 2 (DirecTV 681-1, Dish 442, Comcast 900, Prism 1691)
       Conor McGahey (Play-by-Play) | Charlie Host (Color)
Live Streaming: www.NCHC.tv
Records: Colorado College 7-7-0 (3-5-0 NCHC) | Denver 9-3-2 (5-3-0 NCHC)
Rankings: Colorado College (rv/--) | Denver (1/1)
Series: Denver leads 175-116-17
First Game: 1/6/50, CC won 16-0
Last Game: 3/11/17, Denver won 4-0

This Weekend
Colorado College returns to action for the first game in a home-and-home series with the nation's top-ranked team, the Denver Pioneers, on Friday, Dec. 8, at Magness Arena in Denver. The game will be broadcast on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM, as well as 1240 AM (Colo. Springs / Pueblo) and 93.7 KSBV (West of Pikes Peak). The game will also be televised on Altitude 2 and streamed live at NCHC.tv.

The Gold Pan
This season marks the 25th anniversary of The Gold Pan. Established by former head coaches Don Lucia of Colorado College and Frank Serratore of Denver in 1993-94, the Gold Pan has been awarded every season since to the team that prevails in the regular-season series between CC and DU. In the event of an even split of the four games, the team currently in possession of the trophy keeps it. Each school has hoisted the hardware 12 times in its 24 years of existence.

Last Time Out
The Tigers were swept by second-ranked St. Cloud State on Nov. 17-18 ... On Friday, Westin Michaud (Cloquet, MN) scored and Alec Calvaruso (Livonia, MI) made 33 saves in his collegiate debut, but it wasn't enough in a 6-1 defeat. Three Huskies had a goal and an assist and three others collected a pair of assists for SCSU. The Tigers came out of the gate with good pressure, controlling the offensive zone and outshooting the Huskies, 5-1, in the first five minutes of the game. St. Cloud State responded by recording 12 shots on goal, compared to just two for CC, the rest of the period with three finding the net. Easton Brodzinski opened the scoring at the 6:45 mark of the first period. Later in the frame, SCSU scored twice in a 19-second span and the Huskies never looked back. Will Borgen capitalized off an odd-man rush to make it 2-0 at the 13:42 mark, then Patrick Newell's pass from the right circle was blocked but came right back to him and he beat Leclerc at 14:01. After Newell's goal, Calvaruso relieved starter Alex Leclerc (Longueuil, Quebec). Blake Winiecki scored at the 14:16 mark of the second period to extend SCSU's lead to 4-0 when he collected a blocked shot and sent a wrister through Calvaruso's legs from the left circle. The Huskies took a 5-0 lead in the first minute of the third period with a goal by Robby Jackson, then Michaud got the Tigers on the board at the 3:37 mark with a power-play goal. Nick Halloran's (Draper, UT) shot was saved by Smith, but Michaud was right on the doorstep and put home the rebound for his fourth tally of the season. Mason Bergh (Eden Prairie, MN) also assisted on the goal. Lizotte closed out the scoring with a wraparound goal at the 12:01 mark of the final period ... On Saturday, SCSU scored four times in the third period, including a pair just 33 seconds apart early in the frame, and completed the sweep with a 5-1 victory. The Huskies took a 1-0 lead into the third period and killed off 39 seconds of a Tiger power play to open the frame. After a tripping call to CC's Kade Kehoe (Saskatoon, SASK), Brodzinski gave SCSU a 2-0 lead at the 2:45 mark with its second power-play goal of the game. Luke Jaycox put the Huskies ahead 3-0 just 33 seconds later with a one-timer from the point. Following a scrum in front of the Husky net that resulted in a 5-minute major facemasking call and game misconduct for Kehoe and a pair of roughing calls on St. Cloud State, Bergh cut the lead to 3-1 with a power-play goal at the 6:20 mark. He took a pass from Halloran and fired a wrister over SCSU goalie Jeff Smith's right shoulder for his team-high ninth goal of the season. However, SCSU scored its third power-play goal of the night and extended the Husky lead back to three when Newell poked the puck past Leclerc at the 8:02 mark following a scramble right in front of the net. Judd Peterson closed the scoring with a shorthanded, empty-net goal with 3:41 remaining after CC coach Mike Haviland pulled Leclerc for an extra attacker during a power play.

Second Most Played Rivalry in College Hockey
The 308 games played between Colorado College and Denver are the second most among two schools in college hockey history. Only Michigan and Michigan State have played each other more (313).

Up Next
Colorado College and Denver square off again on Saturday, Dec. 9, beginning at 6 p.m., at The Broadmoor World Arena. Next weekend, the Tigers host the Arizona State Sun Devils, Dec. 16-17.

For the Record
Colorado College is 7-7-0 overall and 3-5-0 in the NCHC following its two losses at St. Cloud State. It is the program's best record after 14 games since a 7-6-1 start in 2012-13 ... Denver is 9-3-2 overall and 5-3-0 in the NCHC after sweeping Minnesota Duluth last weekend on the road. The Pioneers won 1-0 and 2-1.
 
The Coaches
Mike Haviland (Elmira College, '90) is in his fourth season at the helm of the Tigers. He came to Colorado College after serving one year as head coach of the Hershey Bears (AHL). Haviland was an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2008-12, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2010 … Jim Montgomery (Maine, '93) is in his fifth season as head coach at Denver. He spent the previous three seasons as head coach and general manager of the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL. Montgomery is Maine's all-time leading scorer with 301 points (103g, 198a).

Scouting the Pioneers
Troy Terry leads Denver and the NCHC in scoring with 23 points (7g,16a) this season, followed by Henrik Borgstrom with 22 (13g,9a). Terry is second and Borgstrom tied for third in the country in scoring, and Borgstrom is tied for the national lead in goals. Goaltender Tanner Jalliet is tied for the NCHC lead and fifth in the nation with eight victories. He has a 2.23 goals-against average and a .923 saves percentage.

On the Air
All CC games in 2017-18, home and away, will be broadcast live throughout Southern Colorado on KRDO NewsRadio 105.5 and 92.5 FM, as well as 1240 AM, featuring Ken Landau with the play-by-play. Pre-game shows start 37 minutes before faceoff. The broadcasts also can be heard worldwide via the Internet ... Select games, including Friday's at Denver, also will be available on KSBV 93.7 FM in Cripple Creek, Divide, Buena Vista, Monarch and Leadville.

Tigers Fifth in NCHC
The Tigers enter this weekend in fifth place in the NCHC standings. St. Cloud State leads with 18 points, followed by North Dakota with 17. Denver and Western Michigan are tied for third with 15 points, while the Tigers have nine points.

Halloran and Bergh Continue Scoring Surge
Halloran set a new career high with a five-point scoring streak after collecting a point against St. Cloud State on Nov. 18. He is tied for second in the NCHC and tied for eighth in the nation with 14 assists. Halloran also is tied for fifth in the league and 14th in the country with 19 points. Bergh, meanwhile, is tied for third in the NCHC with nine goals after scoring against St. Cloud State on Nov. 18. Bergh, who currently has a four-game point streak, reached the 50-point mark in his career earlier this season and now has 27 goals and 28 assists in 85 career games.

History vs. No. 1
Colorado College has played 37 games against the nation's No. 1-ranked team dating back to the beginning of the USCHO.com poll prior to the 1997-98 season. The Tigers are 12-20-5 overall against top-ranked teams, including a 1-3-2 record last season (1-1-2 vs. Minnesota Duluth and 0-2 vs. Denver). Colorado College is 3-4 against Denver with the Pioneers ranked No. 1.

Bergh Named NCHC Offensive Player of the Week
With one goal and four assists in the series against Omaha, Nov. 10-11, Bergh was named the Bauer NCHC Offensive Player of the Week. He had a pair of assists on Friday, then tied his career high with three points (1g,2a) on Saturday. This was Bergh's second offensive player of the week honor this season.

Solid Showing by Calvaruso in Debut
Calvaruso, a freshman from Livonia, Mich., made his first collegiate appearance on Nov. 17 at St. Cloud State. After relieving Alex Leclerc late in the first period, Calvaruso finished with 33 saves, including 21 in the second period, the most by a Tiger in one period since Leclerc had the same amount in a 3-0 victory vs. North Dakota on Jan. 28, 2017.

Very Defensive in Seven Wins
In their seven victories this season, the Tigers have allowed just nine goals. Conversely, opponents have scored 34 times in CC's seven losses. Overall, the Tigers have allowed 43 goals in their first 14 games, the fewest given up by a Colorado College squad in the first 14 games of a season since 2013-14 (42).

Halloran Most Assists in First 14 in 12 Years
Halloran's 14 assists this season has surpassed the most by a Tiger in each of the last two full seasons (12 by Luc Gerdes last season and Teemu Kivihalme in '15-16). His 14 assists are the most by a Tiger in the first 14 games of a season since Brian Salcido had 16 in 2005-06. Salcido finished second on the team with 32 assists that season.

Saturday Success
The Tigers have been very good on Saturdays this season. CC is 5-2 on Saturday, with its only losses coming at home to No. 3 North Dakota, 6-4, on Oct. 28 and at No. 2 St. Cloud State, 5-1, on Nov. 18. Four of the five Saturday wins have been by one goal, including a 2-1 victory at Miami on Nov. 4.

Fastest to Seven in Five Years
With the 4-0 victory over Omaha on Nov. 11, the Tigers achieved their seventh win earlier than any season since the 2012-13 campaign. That season, CC won its seventh game on Nov. 10.

Solid in One-Goal Games
With their 2-1 victory at Miami on Nov. 4, the Tigers are 5-1 in one-goal games this season. That equals last year's win total in such games (5-4 record) and the most in one season since winning 11 during the 2012-13 campaign.

Bradley Scores Two for Second Time
Trey Bradley (Tampa, FL) scored two goals in a game for the second time in his career Nov. 10 vs. Omaha. He also scored twice against Western Michigan on Dec. 12, 2015.  

Rally, Rally, Rally ...
Colorado College has rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win three times this season, surpassing last year's total of wins after an opponent scored first. The Tigers won only once last season after the opponent scored first, the 2-1 victory at St. Cloud State in the regular-season finale.

And More Rallying ...
The victory at Miami on Nov. 4 was the first for CC when trailing after the first period since Dec. 5, 2015. Ironically, the Tigers came from behind to beat Miami in that game as well, 3-2.

Another Tough Schedule
After playing the second-toughest schedule in the country last season, the Tigers are at it again this year. Five of Colorado College's 13 opponents this season played in the NCAA Division I Hockey Tournament last season and 18 of CC's 34 regular-season games are against teams that are ranked in this week's USCHO.com Top 20 poll.

No Seniors This Season
Colorado College is one of only two Division I programs in the country without a senior on the 2017-18 roster. Boston College is the other. The Tigers have 10 juniors, 10 sophomores and nine freshmen on the roster.