Denver Pioneers Advance to NCHC Semifinals After Road Win
DENVER, CO – – The University of Denver Pioneers men’s ice hockey team secured a crucial victory on the road against Omaha, winning 3-1. The win propels Denver into the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) semifinals.
The Pioneers, currently ranked second in the NCHC standings with a record of 46 points, demonstrated a strong offensive performance. Lorenz, Burrows, and Fisher each scored a goal for Denver. Johnny Hicks was the goalie of record for the Pioneers.
Denver’s head coach, David Carle, boasts an impressive overall record of 198-85-20, a .686 winning percentage. He has spent his entire collegiate coaching career at Denver. His assistant coaches include Tavis MacMillan, Dallas Ferguson, and Ryan Massa.
The Pioneers play their home games at Magness Arena, which has a seating capacity of 6,026. The arena was completed in 1999 and features a rink size of 200×85 feet. Ticket information can be obtained by calling (303) 871-2336.
Denver has a storied history in collegiate hockey, having secured NCAA titles in 1958, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 2004, 2005, 2017, 2022, and 2024. The team’s colors are crimson and gold, and they are known as the Pioneers.
Looking ahead, Denver will host Arizona State on , at 7:00 PM at Magness Arena. This will be a key matchup as the Pioneers continue their pursuit of another NCHC championship.
Currently, North Dakota leads the NCHC standings with 47 points, closely followed by Denver with 46. Western Michigan sits in third place with 41 points, while St. Cloud State and Minnesota-Duluth are tied for fourth with 28 points each. Miami holds the sixth position with 25 points, followed by Colorado College with 24, Arizona State with 19, and Omaha with 18.
Several players are leading the Pioneers’ offensive charge. Eric Pohlkamp leads the team in scoring with 31 points, achieved through 16 goals and 15 assists in 33 games. Sam Harris and Rieger Lorenz are tied for second with 25 points each. Harris has 11 goals and 14 assists, while Lorenz has 13 goals and 12 assists. Boston Buckberger and James Reeder are both tied for fifth with 24 points each.
The Pioneers’ recent form has been strong, as evidenced by their victory over Omaha. According to College Hockey News, Denver was also featured in articles on January 8th and December 4th of 2025, and November 30th and November 19th of 2025. They were also named Team of the Week on November 11th, 2025, and received a team preview on October 3rd, 2025.
The University of Denver has an enrollment of 9,808 students and is led by Athletic Director Josh Berlo.
