Freshman defenseman Blake Hillman will make his NCAA debut tonight, replacing Brad Hawkinson in the Denver lineup against Air Force.

Hawkinson sustained an upper-body injury early in the second period of the Pioneers’ 5-4 overtime loss at Air Force on Friday night. DU went more than half of regulation and all of overtime with a rotation of five defensemen. Hawkinson is expected to miss at least two weeks.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Hillman played most of the past two seasons with Dubuque of the United States Hockey League before being acquired by Waterloo late last season.

The Pioneers already were without sophomore blue liner Adam Plant, who is recovering from a lower-body injury.

The teams face off at 7 p.m. at Magness Arena.

@MagnessMayhem