April 10, 2004

2004 National Championship, April 10, 2004 Denver 1, Maine 0

Denver Photo Gallery Sign Up For The Free Denver Email Newsletter Visit Denver Tournament Central

Get Your Pioneer Championship Gear Here!

BOSTON, Mass. ­ The University of Denver Pioneers, one of the most storied programs in college hockey history, put an end to a 34-year drought with a memorable 1-0 shutout victory over the University of Maine Black Bears here Saturday (April 10) night that earned the school it's first national championship since 1969 and sixth overall.

Before a sellout crowd of 18,597 at FleetCenter, the largest crowd to ever watch a hockey game here, the OeCinderella' Pioneers road a first period power-play goal from sophomore center Gabe Gauthier, the stellar goaltending of senior Adam Berkhoel (24 saves), and survived a monumental 6-on-3 Oedisadvantage' over the final 1:21 of regulation to gain the victory and hand the Western Collegiate Hockey Association it's 34th national championship overall since 1951, it's fourth in the last five years, and third straight. The University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux won the Frozen Four in 2000 while the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers won in both 2002 and 2003.

"I pretty much anticipated that it was going to be that type of game," said Denver head coach George Gwozdecky. "Both teams rely on goaltending and solid defense, and whenever one took the lead, it was going to be tougher to get it back from them."

"We're very proud," added Gwozdecky. "The way the game finished, I thought was pretty symbolic of the way our season has been. We haven't made it easy, but looking back when it was darkest for us in January... this team was led by our captain, Ryan Caldwell... he showed great, great leadership, great character, and we persevered and battled back in January and February, and again tonight in that last minute and a half. Wow. It's a great finish.

"Maine battled extremely hard. I thought we got our game going early, much earlier than we did on Thursday afternoon. Sometimes it is just your time. And I told the team that. I really believed that coming into the Frozen Four. You have to be good, you have to persevere. You know you're going to have some battles. But if you have the kind of character and the kind of team put together that believe in themselves and will fight and die for each other and throw their faces in front of shots, then good things will happen. Timing is so critical. I am very proud of what this team has done and accomplished for the University of Denver. And I now Keith (Magnuson) is somewhere looking down and he is proud, too."

In the first period, Denver scored the game's first and only goal on a power-play attempt at 12:26 when sophomore center Gabe Gauthier beat Jimmy Howard between the legs for his 18th of the season, with an assist from senior left wing Connor James. James came back from a broken leg suffered late in the regular season to play in both Frozen Four games and also earn a spot on the NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team along with teammate and defenseman Ryan Caldwell, and goaltender Adam Berkhoel. Berkhoel was also named the championship's Most Outstanding Player.

"Adam is such a true, true team guy," said Gwozdecky. "He is just a terrific young man and I am so pleased for him that he was able to accomplish that win tonight because he has had a difficult senior year with the team not playing very well in front of him. I am so happy for him and he deserves every accolade he is going to get and more. If he is not the best goaltender in the country, I don't know who is. You show your real stuff on the national stage, and Adam has done that."

"It was a tremendous win for Denver," said Maine head coach Tim Whitehead, who has seen his team lose in the championship game twice now by just a single goal. "They (the Pioneers) showed a lot of courage and a lot of heart to even get this far and to win it in a great game ­ a 1-0 game. We have tremendous respect for how they played and how they carried themselves. It is a tremendous accomplishment."

"Words can't describe how I feel right now," said senior winger Connor James. "Like coach said, we have every piece of the puzzle. We have every type of player and we are a close-knit team. I'm pretty pumped up right now. This is the most exciting thing to ever happen to me."

The second period was scoreless, as was the third. And then, almost remarkably and as Denver battled through that 6-on-3 disadvantage for the final 1:21, it was golden. A 1-0 final score. A national championship on-ice celebration. A Oesmile' from late, great Denver hockey alum Keith Magnuson, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident late last summer. And a true OeRocky Mountain High' for the 2003-04 edition of the University of Denver Pioneers.

2004 National Championship Game Notes: Denver finishes as national champions with a 27-12-5 record... Maine finished 33-8-3... Maine had an early first period power-play goal disallowed due to a man in the crease violation (after video review)... respective shots on goal 10:19 into first period showed Maine with only four and Denver with just two... shots on goal after the first period were just six for Maine and four for Denver... that is the second lowest total (10 combined) between two teams in Frozen Four history, with the record being eight between Colorado College (5) and Michigan (3) in 1996 in Cincinnati, Ohio... shots on goal with 8:37 remaining in second period showed Maine with 10 and Denver with six... shots on goal with 3:42 remaining in second period showed Maine with 13 and Denver with 10... shots on goal with 7:45 remaining in the third period showed Denver with 19 and Maine with 18... Denver was down 5-on-3 with 1:34 remaining in regulation after a delay of game call... Maine then pulled goaltender Jimmy Howard to create a rare 6-on-3 advantage for the final 1:21... Maine owned a 24-20 advantage in shots on goal... Denver was whistled for 11 minor penalties for 22 minutes while Maine was called for eight for 16 minutes... on the power-play, Denver was 1-of-4 while Maine was 0-of-6... Denver head coach George Gwozdecky has now won a national championship as a player (with Wisconsin), as an assistant coach (with Michigan State), and as a head coach (with Denver)... the shutout in the championship game was the third in history, with the others coming in 1968 (Denver 4 vs North Dakota 0) and in 1972 (Boston University over Cornell)... Denver won their previous five NCAA championship titles in 1958 (6-2 over North Dakota in Minneapolis, Minn.), 1960 (5-3 over Michigan Tech in Boston, Mass.), 1961 (12-2 over St. Lawrence in Denver, Colo.), 1968 (4-0 over North Dakota in Duluth, Minn.) and in 1969 (4-3 over Cornell in Colorado Springs, Colo.)... Denver went 4-0 in the NCAA Tournament, defeating Miami (3-2) and North Dakota (1-0) in the NCAA West Regional in Colorado Springs the last weekend in March and then Minnesota Duluth 5-3) and Maine (1-0) in the Frozen Four in Boston... Denver played in both the first and last games of the 2003-04 college hockey season... Denver played and defeated Ohio State, 5-2, back on Oct. 3 in the Lefty McFadden Invitational and then wrapped up the NCAA Championship with the 1-0 triumph over Maine on April 10.

2004 NCAA Men's Frozen Four All-Tournament Team: F - Connor James, Denver; F - Dustin Penner, Maine; F - Junior Lessard, Minnesota Duluth; D - Prestin Ryan, Maine; D - Ryan Caldwell, Denver; G - Adam Berkhoel, Denver. Most Outstanding Player: Adam Berkhoel, G, Denver.

2004 NCAA Men's Frozen Four Championship Game Summary
Saturday, April 10 @ FleetCenter, Boston, Mass.

University of Denver 1, University of Maine 0

Team Lineups Denver: 4 - Brett Skinner, D; 6 - Mike Handza, C; 7 - Adrian Veideman, C; 9 - Gabe Gauthier, C; 11 - J.D. Corbin, RW; 12 - Matt Carle, D; 14 - Max Bull, C; 15 - Jon Foster, LW; 16 - Kevin Ulanski, RW; 17 - Luke Fulghum, LW; 18 - Ted O'Leary, LW; 19 - Connor James, LW; 20 - Jussi Halme, D; 21 - Ryan Caldwell, D; 24 - Adam Berkhoel, G; 25 - Greg Keith, RW; 26 - Nick Larson, D; 27 - Matt Laatsch, D; 28 - Glenn Fisher, G; 39 - Jeff Drummond, RW. Maine: 1 - Frank Doyle, G; 2 - Mike Lundin, D; 4 - Steve Mullin, D; 6 - Troy Barnes, D; 7 - Mathew Deschamps, D; 10 - John Ronan, RW; 11 - Michel Leveille, C; 12 - Keith Johnson, RW; 13 - Todd Jackson, LW; 15 - Greg Moore, LW; 17 - Ben Murphy, C; 20 - Cameron Lyall, LW; 21 - Colin Shields, RW; 22 - Mike Hamilton, LW; 23 - Jon Jankus, C; 24 - Prestin Ryan, D; 25 - Dustin Penner, RW; 28 - Derek Damon, C; 33 - Jimmy Howard, G; 55 - Jeff Mushaluk, D.

1st Period: P1 Denver - Max Bull (2-checking from behind), 3:39; P2 Maine - Dustin Penner (2-holding the stick), 5:13; P3 Denver - Gabe Gauthier (2-roughing), 5:13; P4 Maine - Mathew Deschamps (2-obstruction, interference), 11:49; G1 Denver - Gabe Gauthier 18 (Connor James 25), PPG, 12:26; P5 Denver - Bull (2-cross checking), 13:25; P6 Maine - Jon Jankus (2-tripping), 14:24; P7 Denver - J.D. Corbin (2-holding), 17:03.

2nd Period: P8 Maine - Todd Jackson (2-tripping), 6:26; P9 Denver - Gabe Gauthier (2-cross checking), 6:31; P10 Maine - Jon Jankus (2-holding the stick), 6:31; P11 Denver - Jeff Drummond (2-hooking), 8:16; P12 Denver - Ryan Caldwell (2-roughing), 9:47; P13 Maine - Mike Hamilton (2-roughing), 9:47.

3rd Period: P14 Denver - Jeff Drummond (2-obstruction, holding), 3:24; P15 Maine - Prestin Ryan (2-interference), 8:09; P16 Denver - Jon Foster (2-roughing), 12:15; P17 Maine - Mathew Deschamps (2-roughing), 12:15; P18 Denver - Matt Laatsch (2-hooking), 17:51; P19 Denver - Gabe Gauthier (2-delay of game), 18:26.

Score by Periods: Denver 1-0-0 = 1; Maine 0-0-0 = 0. Pen: Denver 11-22; Maine 8-16. PPs: Denver 1-4; Maine 0-6.

Shots on Goal: Denver 4-6-10 = 20; Maine 6-9-9 = 24. Saves: Adam Berkhoel (Denver), 6-9-9 = 24 (60:00); Jimmy Howard (Maine), 3-6-10 = 19. Att: 18,597 (sellout). Time: 2:38.

© 2009 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy (UPDATED) | Terms of Use | About Us | Advertise | Feedback | XML RSS Feeds