CC players focusing on effort, Pioneers

Rest assured, the Colorado College hockey players are aware that they must be more consistent in their effort the rest of the season, which includes resuming their rivalry with Denver in a home-and-away series this weekend.

A 6-0 home loss Saturday to No. 5 North Dakota after a 4-2 win the night before will do that.

“We need to work on being a little more even keel,” captain Ryan Lowery said. “When we’re playing well and hungry, we can beat anyone.”

“If we aren’t ready to play, these teams will take it to us,” senior Tyler Johnson said.

The loss wasn’t too damaging to CC’s playoff home ice chances. Saturday losses for Minnesota, which is tied with CC for sixth and the final home spot, and eighth-place St. Cloud State, now tied with Alaska-Anchorage, helped.

Now, the Tigers are focusing on the task at hand against the second-place Pioneers.

“We’re looking forward to going out and winning back the Gold Pan (trophy),” Lowery said. There was no update on injured goalie Joe Howe. His status is expected today.

Around the WCHA

Another league rivalry is renewed this weekend with third-place Minnesota-Duluth hosting Minnesota. Fifth-place Nebraska-Omaha will try to bounce back from a nonconference loss to Alabama-Huntsville when it hosts St. Cloud.

Anchorage entertains Michigan Tech, which will try to end its 21-game winless streak (0-20-1). That gives the Seawolves a chance to pass CC and the Gophers for sixth if both lose twice. WCHA leader North Dakota and fourth-place Wisconsin are idle.

Air Force keeps pace in AHA race

After Robert Morris took three out of a four possible points against second-place Niagara, only a point separates the Purple Eagles (25 points), the third-place Colonials (24) and fourth-place Air Force (23), which beat and tied Canisius.

The Falcons have an opportunity to make the standings closer when they travel to league-leading Rochester Institute of Technology (29 points) this weekend.

Air Force rallied to defeat the defending AHA champs 4-3 on Nov. 7 in their only meeting this season.