When it comes to the Gold Pan trophy, one team is gold. The other is gold-plated.
For the past decade, DU vs. Colorado College hockey has been a rivalry in name only. Extrapolate the numbers any way you see fit; there is no other conclusion to draw. The Pioneers have held the trophy for five consecutive seasons and won 19 of their last 24 games against the 20th-ranked Tigers.
That includes 11 straight home wins at Magness Arena, where the 344th installment unfolds at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by a 6 p.m. Saturday game in Colorado Springs at Ed Robson Arena. The teams split their December games, meaning that with a win Friday, No. 7 DU keeps the hardware because the defender of the Gold Pan gets the nod in the event of a tie series.
As Pioneer players walked into the arena for practice this week, CC was on the mind, even if the pan was not visible to the naked eye. Apparently, it goes on display in the locker room during the series. The case outside leading to the rink is reserved for national championship trophies.
DU aims to win its third in four years. CC has won two, in 1950 and 1957.
But even if the Pioneers are the Chiefs to CC’s Broncos over the past decade, the stakes provide purpose and motivation.
“Everyone is aware of it. It’s the first trophy to win during a season as a freshman,” said star defenseman Zeev Buium of the Gold Pan that was initiated in 1993. “When you come to Denver, you learn about the rivalry and understand why we all hate each other.”
As the defending national champions, the Pioneers wade knee-deep in high expectations. They are almost certain to make the 16-team NCAA tournament, but the season has not gone according to script. DU boasts a 7-3-1 record over its last 11 games and split last weekend’s series despite outshooting St. Cloud State 80-45.
Coach David Carle channeled former Notre Dame boss Lou Holtz in his message to his team. When it comes to problems, 90 percent of the people don’t care, and the other 10 percent are glad you’ve got them.
“We are in the time of the year where we would like to put our foot on the gas and get results. That can be mentally challenging. That’s why feeling sorry for ourselves is wasted emotion,” Carle said. “There are actually a lot of people who are really happy when we lose. And they would love for us to be on the road in the NCAA playoffs or for us to slide out of the tournament picture. It’s about staying positive and staying together. And there is a trophy on the line this weekend.”
What makes this weekend’s renewal interesting is that it could be a preview of the teams meeting the following week for the NCHC quarterfinals. The last time the two played four straight games was in 2004.
“It is a huge weekend. And to be at home (Friday) with the best fans is exciting,” said forward Aidan Thompson, who called the Pios’ win over CC at a sold-out Ball Arena in 2023 his favorite memory of the rivalry. “We are in a little bit of a worse spot as far as the conference standings. There’s extra pressure. But that’s a good thing.”
The Tigers are experiencing a revival. After 11 straight losing seasons, CC won 21 games last season and owns a 17-14-1 record this year, led by star goalie Kaidan Mbereko. But the Tigers desperately need to start stacking wins to climb up the PairWise Rankings that determine at-large bids for the NCAA Tournament field. They enter the weekend series at No. 32 in the latest rankings, meaning it’s going to take an incredible hot streak for them to qualify for the tournament.
The first two games between DU and CC were decided by two goals.
The rivalry has been lopsided of late, but don’t be surprised if these games are not.
“One thing we have never struggled with is confidence. We know the talent we have in this room, and we know how much work we put in. There might be some outside noise, but we don’t worry about that,” said forward Jack Devine, the conference’s February player of the month. “I have been able to win three of those Gold Pans, and it would mean a lot to me and my class to win it again.”
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