Nobody can go 110 percent a full 100 percent of the time. We all need a pick-me-up, and that includes hockey teams.

For Denver, that energy burst can come from several different sources at many different junctures of a game or even during the week.

A series of conversations with several Pioneers players recently shed some light on both the who and the what can fire up the team.

They don’t call them an energy line for no reason

The first – probably most obvious – group is the fourth line of Connor Caponi, Brett Edwards and Owen Ozar.

“The first guy who comes to mind is Conner Caponi,” said sophomore center Carter King. “It’s hard not to love the way he plays, how physical he is.

“If we need some energy or we feel a little dead, when he goes out there with how physical he is he kind of gets the guys going.”

But they’re far from the only ones.

“I think it starts with Justin Lee, our captain,” said junior forward McKade Webster. “We all follow him into battle. He’s definitely a guy we follow, and he brings that energy every single night.

“(Sophomore forward Carter) Mazur is one of those guys we follow into battle as well. Everyone brings an energy, and we’re all excited to push each other. But it all starts with Justin Lee.”

Added King, “Our whole leadership group is good at being vocal and making sure there is always energy in the locker room. We have a lot of people who help with that.”

This isn’t an in-game-only phenomenon, however. It takes players setting the tone every day at practice to create this mindset, coach David Carle said.

“A guy like Brett Edwards, it’s one of the ways he’s found to add value. Justin Lee always (adds energy),” Carle said. “I think you see it in practice. Those are the guys who get the boys going at practice with hooting and hollering and things like that. Cap hits people. Everyone adds value and brings energy in their own unique way.”

Plays big and small can generate it

A clutch goal, a big save, and a glass-rattling hit are obvious energy barometers during a game, but they are several other things to look for that add tangible value to the effort.

“When our offensive lines are in the O zone, it creates a lot of energy on our bench,” Ozar said. “If we’re in the O zone and getting guys changing, we’re getting a new line on the ice while the other team is on the ice for multiple minutes, I think that builds a lot of energy on the bench.

“When that’s happening, the energy on our bench just keeps growing and growing.”

The Pioneers did just that against North Dakota a few weekends ago. The Fighting Hawks had tied the score 2-2 during the second period in a game DU had largely controlled. The Pioneers were able to change lines while hemming the hosts into their D zone, and freshman Aidan Thompson ultimately scored to send DU into the second intermission with a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

“We had a really good offensive zone line change, which led to their being tired and us having fresh people out there,” Carle said. “That’s a really big moment because it’s things they talk about, we talk about, and it leads to a goal or success. That’s really important for building the relentless mindset and action we want to have.”

There are other details as well that might slip past many observers but not the Pioneers’ bench.

“The small things, details like getting the puck out, taking a hit to make a play are important,” Webster said. “It’s not necessarily scoring or always making the pretty play, it’s doing the little stuff that goes unnoticed, but we notice it on the bench.”

Added Carle, “The other things, and they’re fairly obvious, are big shot blocks, big saves. A good back check, a good gap when we shut a play down early in the neutral zone. We look for those things.”

Energy can mean the difference between winning and losing

In the closely bunched NCHC, every detail counts. A missed opportunity here or there and a win can become a loss.

In 14 games, the Pioneers have scored first in only half of them. When they go into the locker room with a first-period lead, they’re undefeated. When they don’t, they’re 4-4. Clearly playing with energy and its resulting outcomes is important from the opening draw.

It’s something Caponi discussed when he spoke of his outlook for starting games, and he reiterated it later in the interview.

“I think a lot of guys bring a lot of energy in different ways,” Caponi said. “For my line and myself, playing physical is one way we bring energy on the ice and on the bench.

“Guys like Mazur bring a lot of energy. Owen Ozar, Brett Edwards, the way they play, their style, their speed they play with. At the end of the day, it’s being relentless, and I think we all feed off that from one guy to another. I think that’s how we’ve been playing so well, we all play the same way.”

©First Line Editorial 2022