For college hockey fans in Colorado, DU might as well stand for Drama University instead of Denver University.  The Pioneers (24-11-3) earned the right to host the conference semifinals after sweeping their quarterfinal opponent in the best of three series.  For the last two rounds of the conference playoffs, a single game will determine the winner.  This marked the first time since 1986 that DU had hosted a conference semifinal on campus, welcoming fourth-ranked Western Michigan to Denver.  The two teams had played each other four times during the regular season, with the visiting team winning all four times.  That streak appeared to continue when WMU scored the game’s first goal with less than seven minutes remaining in the game.   But the Pioneers were able to score a power play goal with just under four minutes to go which forced an overtime period.  Senior Samu Salminen scored his third game winning goal of the year to ensure DU would advance to the championship game.

The sixth-ranked team in the country, Minnesota Duluth, bulldogged their semifinal opponent on the road, second-ranked North Dakota, by a 5-1 score, meaning that DU will also host the conference championship on March 21.  The Pioneers have won seven of the last eight games against the Bulldogs, including four straight in Colorado.  Denver on the season now has an eight-game win streak, double the length of the next longest in the country, and has won nine consecutive in Magness Arena.  In addition to hosting all four conference playoff games at home, DU will serve as the host of the NCAA Regionals, which will take place in Loveland.