Dater’s Daily: DU Pioneers Look Great In Season-Opener; NHL News And Notes

A good Saturday to all. A very pleasant day in store for the Mile High City. Avalanche have been off for the last two days, but there was some good local hockey Friday night at Magness Arena, where I sat in the press box and watched the DU Pioneers whip up on Notre Dame, 5-2.

The defending champion Pioneers looked really good against a good Fighting Irish team that came in ranked ninth in the country. But the No. 1-ranked Pioneers dominated most of the game. Their power play, with Avalanche prospect Sean Behrens acting as the QB, was sensational looking. Thirty-five minutes into the game, the Pioneers had an 18-4 shot advantage and a 2-0 lead.

Behrens plays a steady game, a lefty shot who stays within himself and moves the puck efficiently. Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland was at the game too, taking notes.

The DU Pioneers really impressed me. We’re lucky to have such hockey in this town right now, ain’t we?

On to the NHL…

• Sonny Milano was cut from his PTO by the Flames (Calgary Hockey Now)
• Matt Murray is quieting the critics with his preseason so far in Toronto (TSN)
• Evgeny Kuznetsov, frankly, doesn’t give a damn about what people think of him (Washington Hockey Now)
• Jack Eichel looks ready to have a big season in Vegas (Vegas Hockey Now)
• Sheng Peng, on the scene in Prague, tells what went wrong yesterday for the Sharks in the NHL season-opening game against Nashville (San Jose Hockey Now)
• Matt Duchene had 86 points last season, but he wants more (Hockey News)
• The top 100 NCAA players right now (Hockey News)
• Old friend Ian Laperriere has John Tortorella’s trust in the Philly farm system (Philly Hockey Now)
• The Panthers are looking good so far in the preseason (Florida Hockey Now)