The basics

Score: Denver 3, Omaha 4

Location: Denver

Records: Denver (8–3–1), Omaha (6–3–1)

How it happened

— There was no scoring by either team after a rough-and-tumble first period. Denver led Omaha in shots on goal 9–6. However, when the players came out after the first intermission, the ice behind Pioneer net was in horrible condition. After a lengthy delay, it was determined that the ice was unsafe for the players and officials and the game was suspended to Sunday with an undetermined time. 

— Just over a minute into the restart, Denver attempted to clear the puck out of the zone unsuccessfully. Omaha pushed it down to the corner, where Jimmy Glynn carried the puck out and sent it to the front of the crease for Matt Miller to finish the job for a 1–0 Omaha lead. 

— Roughly three minutes later, Cale Ashcroft gathered the puck for Denver to start a breakout behind their own net. Omaha’s forecheck was relentless at this point, and Brock Bremer stole the puck from Ashcroft. Bremer tossed it to Jesse Lansdell, who dribbled it in front of the net, teasing Freddie Halyk. Lansdell passed it between the lags to Ty Mueller and he finished the job to make it 2–0.

— Just over halfway through the second period, a face-off forced the puck down into the Denver zone. Carter Kink led the breakout and gave a leading pass up to Jared Wright in the middle of the ice. Wright whipped a beautiful backhand shot of the goalie to get the Pioneers on the board at 2–1.

— Five minutes later, Denver was killing off a penalty. Omaha tried to enter the Denver zone but miffed on the pass. Rieger Lorenz took off down the ice to find the back of the net for his first career shorthanded goal, knotting the score at 2–2. 

— With just two minutes left in the second, Omaha won a face-off in the Denver zone. Tanner Ludtke gathered the puck at the top of the slot and threw a snap shot on net past Halyk to restore Omaha’s lead at 3–2. 

— The final nail in the coffin came with only five seconds left in the second period. Omaha dumped the puck in to chase it down and collect it behind the Pioneers’ net. It was thrown out to Lansdell for the wrister, but stopped in front. As the puck lay in the crease, Joaquim Lemay drove the net and slapped it in to make it 4–2.

— The last goal of the day came early in the third from the Pioneers. Miko Mitkka drove down the far side and toward the net to force it past the goalie for the final of 4–3. 

DU leaders

Goals: Wright (1), Lorenz (1), Matikka (1)

Assists: King (1), Z. Buium (1), Broz (1), S. Buium (1)

Points: Wright (1), Lorenz (1), Matikka (1),  King (1), Z. Buium (1), Broz (1), S. Buium (1)

Up next

The Denver Pioneers will continue their homestand over the Thanksgiving holiday with a two-game set against Ivy League Yale University. The Bulldogs will come into Magness Arena with a challenge ahead of them as their record is 1–4.

Highlights

Due to ice conditions, tonight’s game is suspended. The game will resume tomorrow at a time to be announced.

Tickets from tonight will be valid for tomorrow’s game or can be exchanged to a future game.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) November 19, 2023

Jared Wright takes the breakout pass from Carter King and shoots it high glove to make it 2-1 Omaha #GoPios @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/RC7NEEUiMs

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) November 19, 2023

Rieger Lorenz steals the puck in his own zone and takes off for the shorty! Tied at 2! #GoPios @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/xZNPHHhaC5

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) November 19, 2023

Miko Matikka just tucks it past the goalie's pads to make it a 4-3 game.

He extends his goal streak to five games–tied for the longest of the season by a Pioneer. pic.twitter.com/xElEfLxYbd

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) November 19, 2023

The post Denver falls 4–3 after 16-hour delay appeared first on The Rink.

The basics

Score: Denver 8, Omaha 4

Location: Denver

Records: Denver (8–2–1), Omaha (5–3–1)

How it happened

— Less than six minutes into the game, Omaha dealt the opening punch on Freddie Halyk. Ray Fust would receive the pass from Joaquim Lemay in the slot and snap it high glove side to make it 1–0.

— Only a minute later, Tristan Broz would storm down the middle of the ice and drop it for Colorado Avalanche prospect Sean Behrens. He would nail a one-timer to tie up the game.

— Ty Mueller barreled down the slot around Cale Ashcroft and backhanded it over the shoulder of Halyk to restore the Omaha lead.

— While on a five-minute power play, Denver cycled the puck and Zeev Buium snapped it in from the blue line to tie it at 2–2.

— Shai Buium nailed a nasty one-timer from the right face-off circle with the help of brother Zeev to put the Pioneers ahead 3–2. 

— Almost seven minutes into the second, Carter King would gain possession in the offensive zone and toss the puck to Rieger Lorenz in front of the net. Lorenz whipped a sweet backhand shot in for the two-goal lead.

— With 8:30 left in the second, captain Webster MacKade followed a shot down the middle by Massimo Rizzo to put Denver ahead by three.

— The last goal in the second was scored by Miko Matikka, as he received a pass from King and then sent it bar down to put the Pios up by four.

— Early in the third, Omaha’s Brock Bremer would be set up in front of the net to whip it past Halyk and close the gap to 6–3. 

— During 4-on-4 play in the third period, Rizzo would steal an over-skated puck and take off, leading to a breakaway. Boston Buckberger would get the shot on net to allow for a redirect by Lorenz for a 7–3 Denver lead.

— Just over halfway through the third, Matt Miller planted himself in front of the net and redirected the shot in on the glove side of Freddie Halyk to trim the margin to 7–4.

— Buckberger ran the puck behind the net with under three minutes left to find Connor Caponi in front and the perfect pass for Denver’s eighth and final goal of the night. 

DU leaders

Goals: Lorenz (2), Behrens (1), Webster (1), Z. Buium (1), S. Buium (1), Matikka (1), Caponi (1)

Assists: Z. Buium (2), Buckberger (2), Rizzo (2), King (2), Broz (2), Behrens (1), S. Buium (1), Matikka (1), Thompson (1), Wright (1)

Up next

Denver will finish the two-game set against Omaha tonight at Magness in Denver.

Highlights

Sean Behrens' (COL) goal from earlier while the https://t.co/zlsagJ34N1 stream was down and out pic.twitter.com/IyIWtEVyIg

— Ryan Sikes (@ryan_sikes10) November 18, 2023

Rieger Lorenz with a sweet backhand shot right in front to take a two goal lead in the 2nd #GoPios @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/wJLYZ3JLkx

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) November 18, 2023

An overskated puck leads to a breakaway by Massimo Rizzo and then a redirect by Rieger Lorenz. Pios up 7-3 #GoPios @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/qV2sy8mTii

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) November 18, 2023

Boston Buckberger takes it down low to feed Connor Caponi right in front of the net for the Pios' 8th goal of the night. #GoPios @TheRinkColorado pic.twitter.com/8ZXzQWXtWQ

— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) November 18, 2023

The post Denver dominates Omaha 8–4 appeared first on The Rink.

“It’s a great thing for our fans that we get to play them four times every year,” coach David Carle said. “Their program is on the rise, they’ve done an excellent job with their new staff and recruiting and are becoming more competitive and play more of a 200-foot game, making life harder on us. So we expect a really good battle this weekend.”

In the NCHC playoffs, Colorado College secured a close victory against their opponent. But every game last season was a “tightly contested game,” as Carle put it.

The Pioneers played a split series last weekend against a fierce Augustana University and another against in-state rival, Air Force. While Denver got ahead in the game against the Vikings, Augustana fought hard to earn a tie. Air Force, on the on the other hand, saw all of the corrections from the night before and freshman goaltender Freddie Halyk. The Pioneers came out in the end with a shutout 4–0.

“It certainly feels like they are closing the gap within the rivalry and we expect nothing different this year,” Carle told the media on Wednesday.

Freshman Boston Buckberger, who was just named conference rookie of the month, hopes a victory is in play for this weekend.

Buckberger has nothing but steller since coming to Denver. He has racked up seven points in only six games with the Pioneers, claiming all the credit goes to his teammates.

“Just to hold it up, hopefully,” Buckberger said with a smile. “I actually don’t even know exactly what it looks like. But hopefully I get that in our possession pretty quick here.”

Senior McKade Webster has a lot of experience with the series himself.

“It’s a big deal,” Webster said. “Especially for our young guys that have never participated in this event and won a Gold Pan before. So for them just understanding what it means for our program going forward, it’s a big deal. It is the first trophy that we can win this weekend if we get a sweep, so that’s what we are looking to do.”

The hallways were filled with excitement from the players and staff. Not a nervous energy, but a confident energy. The Pioneers, with a 4–1–1 record, are ranked No. 2 in the nation, so they have reason to be confident. Colorado College may be a little more of a challenge than previous opponents, as they boast a 5–1–0 record, losing only to Augustana. Expect a fierce battle with the state’s top team prevailing.

Puck drop on Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. MDT, with Saturday’s tilt scheduled for 6 p.m. MDT.

The post The Gold Pan rivalry lives on this weekend appeared first on The Rink.

First period

The Pioneers scored two quick goals in under five minutes to start the period. The first from Boston Buckberger and the second from Rieger Lorenz. Five minutes later, Jack Devine nailed his sixth goal of the year right off of the face-off. An aggressive offense for Denver led to some quick chances but also led to defensive breakdowns on the other end in front of Matt Davis. The Augustana Vikings would rush the zone and score a bloop goal that went through Davis. In the waning moments of the period, Hunter Bischoff‘s shot found the back of the net, making it 3–2.

Second period

Both the Vikings and the Pioneers would tighten up their defense in the period. This hindered both sides from advancing into each other’s zone and creating more opportunities. The period was an unresolved battle, except for the goalies.

Third period and overtime

Denver extended its lead to 4–2 with a goal from Kieran Cebrian, assisted by Devine. However, the Vikings showed resilience and scored two goals in 20 seconds, bringing the game to a tie at 4–4. Massimo Rizzo scored from the slot to regain the lead 5–4. Then with 28.8 seconds left and on the power play with their goalie pulled, Chase Brand scored for the Vikings to tie it back up at 5–5 and send the game to extra time. The Pioneers could not capitalize on their promising overtime performance, and the game ended in a 5–5 tie.

Analysis

Friday night’s tie showed some gaps in the defensive game for the Pioneers and their young defensive core.

“Closing plays quicker, getting out of our zone cleaner,” coach David Carle said of the 5-on-5 game. “Managing pucks comes with that. A lot of their transition offense came from us turning pucks over. You have to give them credit. They were coming into our building trying to have their marquee moment, and they did. That’s embarrassing for us in that we allowed that to happen, but we also give credit to our opponent, who was very well prepared and did an excellent job and earned everything tonight as well. We were not ready to the play to the level we needed to for a full 60 minutes. After we went up (2–0), I think we thought it was going to be easy, and give them credit, they didn’t go away. They continued to come and were able to execute and take advantage of our looseness with our puck management and with our rush D and our D-zone coverage.”

If Denver can play a better defensive game, Davis will not have to work as hard to protect the lead for them. The offense is there for sure, now they need to fix the back end.

The post Pioneers tie in home opener appeared first on The Rink.

Ian Mitchell could have signed a professional contract last season with the Hawks, but he made the decision to play his junior year at the University of Denver, noting that he wanted to dominate at the collegiate level; and that he did.  The Calahoo, Alberta native came into the Pioneers program as a freshman with high expectations.  Mitchell was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2017 NHL draft by Chicago and was committed to Denver, a team that had just won a national championship.  Mitchell was slated to take over for senior Will Butcher who had just won the Hobey Baker Award for the NCAA’s top men’s hockey player.

That year, the Pioneers were surprised to have a couple of their top players stick around for an extra year and try for another national title.  Now Sharks forward Dylan Gambrell, Ducks forward Troy Terry, and Panthers forward Henrik Borgstrom were a trio that made the Pioneers one of the most potent offenses in college hockey, and Mitchell had the keys to the powerplay.  Just like any freshman would do, Mitchell deferred to many of the upperclassmen but that didn’t mean he didn’t have the skills to be out there with them.  Mitchell often walked the blue line and created open lanes for his forwards to work their magic, knowing that one day it would be his turn to work his.  In his freshman year, Mitchell registered two goals and 28 assists, landing him a spot on the NCHC’s All-Rookie team.  The Pioneers ultimately fell to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Frozen Four regionals.

In Mitchell’s sophomore season, many thought Denver would take a step back with many of their top players departing for the pros, but a fresh crop of recruits helped the Pioneers get to their 17th Frozen Four appearance in school history.  The 2018-19 Denver team had one of the best defenses in the league and received great goaltending from freshman Filip Larsson.  They got significant contributions from Emilio Pettersen and Cole Guttman, two freshman who played the entire season together on the first line with senior Jarid Lukosevicious.  And to top it off, Denver had just lost head coach Jim Montgomery to the NHL and were led by rookie head coach David Carle.  Mitchell had another solid season with six goals and 21 assists.  The Pioneers fell just short of getting to the national championship game, losing in overtime to Cale Makar’s UMass Minutemen in Buffalo.

In that same year, Mitchell represented Team Canada in the World Junior Championships as an alternate captain.  He played alongside several NHL prospects selected in the first round such as Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard, New York’s Noah Dobson, and New Jersey’s Ty Smith.  Unfortunately, Canada lost to Finland in overtime in the quarterfinals.

Ian Mitchell (@DU_Hockey) scores his first of the tournament to put up by one early in the second! #CANvsFIN #REPRESENT #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/IDXLJQFlAs

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 3, 2019

Entering his junior year at Denver, Mitchell was voted team captain and was on a mission to be Denver’s go-to guy.  In his first seven games, Mitchell had three goals and seven assists.  He went on to have seven multi-point games and score a career-high 32 points.  Mitchell also helped Team Canada win gold at the 2019 Spengler Cup.  The Pioneers had their ups and downs in the 2019-20 season, but it seemed like they were turning a corner.  Winners of four of their last six games, Denver concluded the season with a sweep of rivals Colorado College and were set to host Omaha in the first round of the NCHC playoffs.  It’s unfortunate that the NCAA tournament was canceled due to public health concerns, but there’s no doubt that Mitchell and his Pioneers would have been center stage in another chase for college hockey stardom.

So this leads us to the original question of the article of what are the Chicago Blackhawks getting in Ian Mitchell.  Now that you know the background story, here’s my take.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Ian’s father and younger brother at a couple Pioneers games and they are definitely a hockey family.  Hockey is in his blood, as his uncle also played professional hockey.  Ian’s father Bill said to me that he spent countless hours with Ian teaching him the art of power skating, giving him the ability to jump into plays and also to keep up with some of the fastest forwards in his age group.  I know that there were significant changes to Ian’s game between his sophomore and junior seasons.

Knowing that professional hockey was on the horizon for him, Mitchell started training and changing his diet to be in the best hockey shape possible.  Not only did he take good care of his body, he took care of the people around him.  He is very well liked by his teammates and coaches, and is a natural-born leader.  Ian would always make time to say hello and shake my hand following post-game press scrums and was always a good quote.  The Blackhawks are getting a very high-character individual which is probably why they are so excited.  This is a player who is a big communicator on the ice and is highly competitive.

As for on-ice qualities, there is a lot to look forward to.  There has been a lot of growth in Mitchell’s game since his first Blackhawks prospect camp.  He’s bigger, stronger, faster, and comes with three years experience in one of college hockey’s toughest conferences in the NCHC.  Going against Minnesota-Duluth, North Dakota, and St. Cloud is no small feat, yet Mitchell and the Pioneers found success annually.

On the offensive side, Mitchell likes to compare his game to Tyson Barrie of the Maple Leafs.  He doesn’t have game-breaking speed, but he can get up the ice into the rush like Barrie and be just as dangerous as a forward.  His ability to get pucks through traffic using fakes and dekes has created a lot of chances for his forwards.  Mitchell also has an underrated slapshot.  A lot of the time, he will take a hard wrist shot if he has time from the top of the circle, but he can also rip it from the point and the puck gets to the net in a hurry.  I would say that Mitchell is the definition of a powerplay quarterback.  He is a triple-threat player from the point where he can shoot, pass, or skate at any time.  His scoring ability is just as good as anybody in college hockey, but he’s a natural playmaker.  Mitchell’s at his best when he’s setting up his teammates for layup goals after he does all the heavy lifting.

#Blackhawks prospect Ian Mitchell with a beautiful assist pic.twitter.com/3PEfXI8yd8

— Blackhawks Nation (@BlkHwkNationCHI) November 3, 2018

On the defensive side, it’s his hockey IQ that will wow you.  Mitchell plays with an active stick and can escape high-danger situations surprisingly without getting hit too often.  He can spin out of big checks and is phenomenal at breaking the puck out of the zone.  He can beat you with the stretch pass or he can skate it through the zone himself.  I will say that he has one of the best first passes out of the zone that I’ve seen the last few years in the conference.  Mitchell isn’t the overly aggressive type in front of the net, but he also won’t get pushed around.  I’ve seen him get into it after the whistle a few times, but he’s never put his team in a bad spot because of it.

Overall, the Blackhawks are getting a defenseman who can give fans some peace of mind, much like Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, and Niklas Hjalmarsson have done in years past.  Those three got the Blackhawks through multiple Stanley Cup Playoffs playing over 25 minutes a night, being trusted in every situation.  I’m not saying Mitchell is ready for that, but with the right development, he can rise to a top-four blueliner that Chicago can lean on in the future.  The Hawks have drafted a handful of top defensive prospects the last few years hoping to solidify their defensive core.  Those prospects have come and gone like a game of musical chairs, and it’s no surprise Mitchell is one of the few guys left with a seat at the table.

Stan Bowman likes what he sees out of Ian Mitchell, who is returning to Denver for his junior year. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/xTiFXmVcdj

— Eric Lear (@EricLear312) July 17, 2019

The post What are the Chicago Blackhawks getting in Ian Mitchell? appeared first on The Rink.

In one of the biggest games of the year, the seniors came up big.  The Pioneers were also under some pressure from Western Michigan who swept Miami and drew pretty close to leapfrogging Denver.

Thank you, Seniors #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/ANeMCX1aQ7

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) March 8, 2020

Here’s how things played out:

Game 1

Friday night the Pioneers traveled to Colorado College with hopes of bringing home the Gold Pan.  It was senior night for the Tigers and they definitely made it exciting for the fans.  The Pioneers were dominant in the faceoff circle, winning 44 of 64 draws, and possessed the puck well.  Although there was no score in the first period, Denver tallied twice in the second with an Ian Mitchell shot that went off a defender and a Tyler Ward rebound goal.   But, with five minutes left in the game, CC wasn’t ready to call it quits.

The Tigers went on a four-on-three powerplay, desperate to get back into the game.  They cycled the puck low to high and Grant Cruikshank took a shot from the right circle.  Magnus Chrona made the save, but the rebound went right to Tigers senior Chris Wilke who scored the first goal of the game for CC.  Then with less than ten seconds left in the game, Wilke got a pass in the high slot and nailed the game-tying goal.  Overtime wasn’t enough so the game went to a shootout where Brett Stapley won it for the Pioneers.

ICYMI – @CWilkie44 scored two goals late in the third period as CC rallied to a 2-2 tie against 6th-ranked Denver. pic.twitter.com/jXWeQ0Dw3v

— CC Hockey (@CCTigerHKY) March 7, 2020

Game 2

There was no doubt that Saturday night’s season finale against CC was going to be big, but the crowd seemed to take it to another level.  The student section was constantly chanting and banging on the glass, making it a difficult environment for the Tigers.  Nick Halloran scored first for the Tigers on a breakaway, beating Chrona, but it was all Pioneers after that.  Denver would score five straight goals to beat CC 5-1.  Emilio Pettersen would score his 13th goal of the season, but Michael Davies stole the show with this backhand beauty over Matt Vernon.

What a pretty goal.

Michael Davies gives @DU_Hockey a 2-1 lead in the 2nd period. pic.twitter.com/exEOYeh7Dt

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) March 8, 2020

What’s next?

Denver begins their road to the Frozen Faceoff this weekend against No. 6 Omaha.  The Mavs are 3-7 in their last ten games, but they do have some impressive wins this season against North Dakota, Arizona State, and Wisconsin.  Omaha and DU only met twice this season in Denver back in January, where they tied both games.  The Pioneers will have to strike first and not let the Mavs hang around or they could steal a game.

Tickets are on sale now for this weekend’s best-of-three series vs Omaha.

The post Pioneers secure No. 3 seed in NCHC playoffs after Colorado College sweep appeared first on The Rink.

With just a home-and-home series with Colorado College left in the regular season, the Pioneers will need to finish strong, as Western Michigan and St. Cloud are just two and four points behind Denver in the NCHC standings, respectively.  Let’s recap what happened with St. Cloud.

Game 1

Friday night’s game was very competitive until the second period when St. Cloud decided to open things up.  After Emilio Pettersen scored his 11th goal on the season on the powerplay, the Huskies scored three straight in a span of ten minutes and that’s all St. Cloud needed to earn three points on Friday.  Shots for the Huskies, by period, were 5, 20, and 3, having clearly moved into preventative defense in the third period.

Huskies goaltender David Hrenak was phenomenal, allowing just one goal on 32 shots.  St. Cloud improved to an impressive 9-0-2 when leading their opponent after the second period. Illinois native Kevin Fitzgerald led the Huskies with two goals and an assist in a much-needed win for St. Cloud, who are also fighting for their playoff position.

Here are a few observations from Friday’s game:

• For the first time in nine starts this season, Devin Cooley was pulled after giving up four goals on 19 shots.
• After registering 11 shots on goal in the series with Miami, captain Ian Mitchell was limited to just one shot Friday night.
• Freshman forward Bobby Brink was held out again after sustaining a lower-body injury in the North Dakota series.

Power play, POWER GOAL!@DU_Hockey ties this baby up. pic.twitter.com/kbpTjWYlBp

— CBS Sports Network (@CBSSportsNet) February 29, 2020

Game 2

Saturday night’s game was a different story.  After head coach David Carle emphasized the Pioneers refocusing their efforts and staying out of the penalty box, the team turned in one of their best games of the season, defeating the Huskies 5-2.  Despite going 0-6 on the powerplay, the Pioneers had five different goal scorers with Liam Finlay, Jake Durflinger, Kohen Olischefski, Mitchell, and Pettersen all lighting the lamp.  After starting Friday’s game on different lines, Cole Guttman and Pettersen were reunited Saturday and combined for eight shots on goal.

As expected, this game was very physical with several roughing minors.  For the St. Cloud seniors, this was the last time they would skate for the Huskies at home and they weren’t about to go down easily.  If anything, St. Cloud sent a message that this wouldn’t be the last time both teams crossed paths.  It’s possible that in just a few weeks this could be a playoff matchup.

Pettersen extended his scoring streak to three games and has officially doubled his goals from last year with 12.  Finlay has his own point streak of four games, and Mitchell tied his career-high in points with 30.

Bullseye @IanMitch15 #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/WLb00bKLeR

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) March 1, 2020

What’s next?

The Pioneers face off against their bitter rivals, the Colorado College Tigers, as they wrap up the Battle for the Gold Pan.  Denver swept the Tigers back in December, winning 3-0 and 3-1.  Colorado College is currently 8th in the NCHC and coming off two losses at home against Minnesota-Duluth.  The Tigers wouldn’t like anything better than to play spoiler for the Pioneers.  You can catch Saturday night’s game at Magness Arena on CBS Sports Network at 8:07 mountain time.

The post Pioneers eyeing playoff home-ice after split with St. Cloud appeared first on The Rink.

The team, as a whole, dominated play through all three periods, with all five skaters active across the zones. Captain Ian Mitchell was a huge part of that success, registering two assists and a stunning shorthanded game-winner. Forward Hank Crone joined Mitchell in leading the scoreboard with two goals on the night, including the icebreaker and a powerplay goal in the third.

You can watch Mitchell’s highlight-reel goal here:

This is Ian Mitchell at his best. #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/4ARdBCEA4q

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) January 11, 2020

Scoring went back and forth through the first two periods before Mitchell went coast-to-coast on the shorthanded game-winner. That opened the third period to an offensive onslaught from the Pioneers, who scored twice more to solidify a decisive victory over the Huskies. Hank Crone and Kohen Olischefski opened the Pioneer scoring in the first; Ryan Barrow tallied the sole Pioneers goal of the second; and Mitchell, Crone, and Liam Finlay closed it out in the third. St. Cloud’s goals came courtesy of Jack Poehling, Easton Brodzinski, and Chase Brand.

The Pioneers let their special teams shine in the second and third, going 2-for-3 on the powerplay and 1-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The entire game was characterized by the Pioneer’s excellent puck possession in the offensive zone, helped by the fact that the entire team was skating with speed. They unleashed a season-high 48 shots on goal, though the majority of the goals were scored by excellent puck movement in front of the net and by taking advantage of rebounds.

Mitchell summed the game up perfectly when asked about the team’s offensive explosion: “When we play like that we’re going to be a tough team to beat.” 

It was the sort of game that the Pioneers needed. Mitchell admitted in the postgame that the team had dug themselves a bit of a hole in the first half in the standings. The team is now on a six-game win streak after sweeping St. Cloud, and they now sit at 15-4-3, 5-3-2-1. 

The post Ian Mitchell Leads DU to 6-3 win over St. Cloud appeared first on The Rink.

One of the Pioneers goals tonight came in the second period from forward Jake Durflinger.  The junior from Walnut Creek California plays on the checking line for the Pioneers and knows a thing or two about bringing energy.  He is often mixing it up with opponents and fighting for the pucks in the “dirty areas.”  Saturday night was no different.

The-Rink caught up with Durflinger after the Pioneers 6-1 win.

On his second period goal against Western Michigan

“We were at the end of our shift and our defenseman made a good play turning the puck up playing fast.  Jack made a smart play getting it deep and Wardo did a good job getting to the net like we talked about all night on this goalie.  I was in the right spot at the right time.”  

Pucks in Deep: 101 #PioneerTogether pic.twitter.com/TiRyc2B3Zk

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) November 24, 2019

What has David Carle said to the team recently about staying positive?

“It’s just about staying calm.  We’re a confident group even though the last five games struggling to find a win.  We stayed confident in the room and stuck to our process.  We had to get back to it a bit, we strayed away from it for a few games and that’s why games didn’t result in a win.  But tonight we were able to get back to our process which ended up with a good win.”

What has been your advice to younger players on the team?

“Every night is going to be a good team, it doesn’t matter who it is in the NCHC.  It’s the best conference in college hockey so we have to be ready every night and instill in our younger guys that if we stick to the process we’re going to win hockey games.”

On the return of Devin Cooley

“It’s awesome.  He’s a big part of our team.  He’s proven with a lot of success last year and he’s worked really hard all summer to come back from injury.  It was awesome to get that win for him.”

On what makes this year’s Pioneers team special

“We’ve had good teams in my first two years here but we want to go further.  We think… we know we have a special group but we have to accomplish it.  That was a good first NCHC win, but now we need to get on a roll.”

The post Durflinger adds much needed energy to Pioneers’ 6-1 win vs Western Michigan appeared first on The Rink.

In an announcement from the Denver Pioneers website today, Blackhawks prospect Ian Mitchell has decided to return to college to play his junior year. It was thought by many that Mitchell would turn pro after his sophomore year, but he believes Denver is the best place for him right now to develop. The Pioneers have reached the NCAA tournament in both of Mitchell’s seasons with Denver and made it to the Frozen Four this season. Here is what Mitchell had to say about his decision:

“In the past few days since our season ended, I have had the chance to reflect on the year and the season our team had,” Mitchell said. “It became clear to me during that time that I did not feel ready mentally or physically to leave Denver. I believe this is the best place for me to become a better hockey player and as a team we have an opportunity to do something very special next year. I would like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks organization for being so supportive and respectful of my decision to remain in school and continue my development. I am looking forward to next season.”

Ian Mitchell is BACK! #PioneerTogether https://t.co/ItMXuGMNe7

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) April 17, 2019

There were probably a lot of factors that went into Mitchell’s decision, including the number of young Blackhawks defenseman that will be fighting for ice time in Rockford for the IceHogs. Former Pioneer Blake Hillman is there now along with Notre Dame’s Dennis Gilbert and others. It is also possible that first round picks Adam Boqvist and Nicholas Beaudin could join as well. The AHL is a physical league that may not be the best right now for Mitchell’s development being a smaller player. Although the case is made often that playing more games prepares young players for the NHL, getting quality minutes in a storied NCAA program is good for development as well.

For folks that are worried that Mitchell could become the next Jimmy Vesey, do not be alarmed. Mitchell is a top prospect who loves the Blackhawks organization and their plans for his development. General Manager Stan Bowman is most likely understanding of where his players are in terms of development, but he and the fans have to be patient with the process. There are several Blackhawks defenseman in the system who could help at the pro level soon, but it is rare that players in their young twenties make a difference.

The Denver Pioneers will compete again next year for the NCAA Championship and Mitchell will be a big part of that campaign. He will be a captain again and will have more young players looking to him for guidance. It will be a big season in the NCHC that hosts some of the best teams in college hockey and it is possible that Mitchell will be one of the conference’s best players.

The post Blackhawks’ Ian Mitchell decides to return to Denver for junior season appeared first on The Rink.

Team Canada looks to have selected a combination on heavy and versatile defenseman to round out their roster going into the tournament.  A big advantage of keeping Mitchell on the roster is most likely his ability to lead the Team Canada powerplay.  Mitchell’s a great facilitator on special teams and there is no doubt he will be successful.  He’s responsible in his own zone and has one of the best first passes in college hockey.

Mitchell is in his second season at Denver and is taking on a much larger role this season with the departures of Henrik Borgstrom, Dylan Gambrell, and Troy Terry.  In 14 games this season, Mitchell has two goals and nine assists helping the Pioneers to a 8-4-2 record this season.

Earlier this year, The-Rink caught up with Mitchell to talk about the growth of his game this season.

.@DU_Hockey defenseman @IanMitch15 on the growth of his game this season and facing @SCSUHUSKIES_MH next week #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/XAqzOsQFsX

— Aaron Goldschmidt (@lateinthegoldie) November 4, 2018

For more on Ian Mitchell and other Blackhawks prospects playing in the World Junior Tournament, be sure to check back in with The-Rink.com.

The post Blackhawks Prospect Ian Mitchell Makes Team Canada World Junior Roster appeared first on The Rink.

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference released its All-Rookie team for the 2017-18 season this afternoon which included Chicago Blackhawks prospect Ian Mitchell.  Mitchell was drafted in the second round of last year’s draft and has been playing his freshman year in college hockey with the Denver Pioneers.  Here’s what the NCHC had to say about Mitchell:

“Also on the All-Rookie Team blue line is Mitchell, who racked up 16 points, including 14 assists, in 24 conference games. Ten of his 14 helpers came on the power play, while the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick blocked 36 shots, fired 40 shots on goal and ended with a +8 plus/minus.”

Your 2017-18 #NCHCHockey All-Rookie Team

: https://t.co/WwfVsotKzf pic.twitter.com/7sAFG6c4ta

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) March 6, 2018

In 34 games played, Mitchell has two goals and 20 assists, 10 coming on the power play.  He has been a big part of the first unit with top prospects Henrik Borgstrom, Dylan Gambrell, and Troy Terry.  Mitchell replaced senior Will Butcher who won the Hobey Baker Award last season and now plays with the New Jersey Devils.

The Pioneers begin the NCHC playoffs this weekend as they take on the Colorado College Tigers in a best of three series at Magness Arena.  The Pioneers are ranked No. 4 in the USCHO poll.

The post Chicago Blackhawks Prospect Ian Mitchell Named to NCHC All-Rookie Team appeared first on The Rink.

The road to professional hockey is unique to every young player.  Some have been on a track of attending the best amateur hockey schools all of their lives and others become late bloomers who develop somewhere along the line.  Regardless of who you are or where you came from, the road is difficult and taxing on these young men and their families.

Ian Mitchell is a defenseman for the University of Denver Pioneers and his road too is unique.  Ian is from Calahoo Alberta, population 197.  Hockey is in his blood.  His uncle, Roy Mitchell, was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1989 and played pro hockey for 12 seasons.  His father, Bill, also played and coached Ian and his brother Sean growing up in Calahoo.

As teenagers, some hockey players choose to leave home to pursue their careers in junior leagues across North America.  Mitchell was drafted to the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League and the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey league.  Ultimately, Mitchell decided to play his bantam hockey with the Spruce Grove Saints, just 30 minutes from his home in Calahoo.

Because of the opportunity to continue his education and play hockey for a prestigious program like the University of Denver, Mitchell decided to go the college route and hasn’t looked back.  With eight points in ten games, he’s thriving on the top-ranked college hockey team in the country.  And to top it off, he was drafted to the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2nd round of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Ian Mitchell leads NCAA freshmen with 7 power play points #DU1NATION pic.twitter.com/hXtbiSSeTt

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) November 12, 2017

The-Rink had the opportunity to speak with Ian’s father Bill to talk hockey, family, and also get the scouting report on Ian’s younger brother Sean.

Interview with Bill Mitchell

What’s it like being a hockey dad and watching your son Ian be so successful at a young age?

Bill Mitchell:  Because my brother and I grew up playing the game, it was just natural that my kids followed in our footsteps.  It’s pretty special in a sense that I’ve been able to teach them both skating.  I was their power-skating instructor for many years so I’ve taught them that.  It’s been fun following them through their whole process as they go.  

What’s it like being the coaches son, Sean?  More pressure or less pressure?

Sean Mitchell:  Maybe a bit of both.  If you do well you’re rewarded, but if you mess up you have to come to the bench and try not to make eye contact.  Just get in line (laughs).

Montgomery on Ian Mitchell:

“He’s a coaches dream. He’s prepared every day and he wants to get better. He has a great compete level”

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) October 26, 2017

What was it like coaching Ian?

Bill Mitchell:  Where we were in the little town of Calahoo, there’s about 200 people that live there.  I ended up going out there so we moved there. There weren’t a lot of coaches and the team had only 24 kids.  It was also hard having so much diversity on the team.  There were some kids that could hardly skate where Ian was and it was tough to get them progression.  A lot of kids nowadays are going to these specialty schools.  Families are paying a lot of money but I’m a firm believer in just getting on the ice and getting your skills developed.  When you’re young, get your feet, get your hands, and get your head up.  So yeah it’s paid off.  Both of these guys are pretty good at that, they’re smart players.  

Talk about how passionate hockey fans are in Spruce Grove.

Bill Mitchell:  Well that team in that area is a Junior-A team that has had a lot of success the last 15 years.  We support the team.  It’s quite a bit different than coming to a college game.  They’ll get maybe 800-900 fans max per game, but there’s a lot of different hockey there.  You can watch high-end Bantam, high-end Midget, Junior Tier-1, the University Golden Bears, and the Oilers.  There’s a lot of hockey to watch.  

What are your thoughts on the Edmonton Oilers and their recent slump?

It just hasn’t come together yet.  They’re having a tough time.  I think it’s going to start to show.  They won the last two games so hopefully it picks up.  That’s been our favorite team.

How did it feel the minute Ian was drafted and knowing the Mitchell name might be sewn on an original six jersey?

Well, it’s pretty exciting.  It’s funny because throughout the year, Darrell May (Blackhawks Scout) was always at Ian’s games.  He was always going to him after games and telling him, “You’re a Blackhawk.”  I had a pretty good feeling.  We knew he wasn’t going to be a first-rounder.  In all honestly, I think it was better to go below that because the eye isn’t on you all the time.  And it gives you an opportunity to develop.  But we were watching that number 57 spot and we thought OK.  But when the Blackhawks took Henri Jokiharju, we thought because he’s a right-handed puck-moving defenseman what are the chances they’re going to take Ian?  But when it happened it was pretty special.  Ian jumped sky high, he was so excited to go to that team. 

How hard was it for you watching Ian go off to college?

Bill Mitchell:  We actually had a unique situation.  He was drafted by the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL so he went down there and checked it out.  But with his academic prowess with school, we thought we should wait and see what happens.  We got lucky because Spruce Grove is 20 minutes from our house.  It’s been tough on all of us as a family because we’re very tight, but it was better than him moving at 16 to go to Brandon.  We like to come down to Denver as much as we can, but it’s not cheap to fly. 

Lastly, give us the scouting report on Ian’s younger brother Sean Mitchell.

Bill Mitchell:  He’s a heads-up hockey player.  He skates very well.  He needs to get more bulk and strength but when it comes to play-making he’s very good.  You might see him down the road, he’s got to keep working at it.

You can follow Ian and Bill on Twitter at @IanMitch15 and @Bill_Mitchell10

The post College Hockey Worth the Wait for Blackhawks’ Ian Mitchell and Family appeared first on The Rink.