The rest of Colorado College’s hockey schedule was released Thursday.
The home-and-home series against Air Force for the Pikes Peak Trophy, which the Tigers took home for the first time this past season, is Valentine’s Day (The Broadmoor World Arena) and President’s Day (Air Force) respectively.
The Colorado Avalanche will host an outdoor game at Air Force’s Falcon Stadium against the L.A. Kings on Feb. 15, 2020. Whether Air Force will get to make use of that ice has yet to be confirmed. It’s worth noting that no stadium is specified on the CC schedule, while there’s one for every other known date.
They’ll play former conference opponent Minnesota in their first weekend of the regular season, the first time the teams will face off since the 2013 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five. The Tigers will host another Big Ten team, Michigan State, in October.
Two trips east will take place in December, as CC travels to take on Princeton Dec. 6-7 and plays in the Ledyard Classic Dec. 28-29, hosted by Dartmouth.
A previously announced series between Western Michigan and CC was moved to accommodate the Broncos’ nonconference schedule. The series once set for Nov. 8-9 will be Nov. 1-2.
After diving right into regular-season play last year, the Tigers will host an exhibition game against a team to be determined.
Near-miss for Wilkie brothers
One incentive for rising redshirt senior Chris Wilkie to choose Colorado College as his transfer destination was the opportunity to play with his younger brother Coltan. But Coltan was drafted 105th overall in the USHL draft by the Madison Capitols, and Chris said he plans to play there.
That means the brothers’ CC stints won’t intersect.
“The year off last year kind of set him back,” Chris Wilkie said of serious neck and knee injuries that sidelined Coltan for months. “It’ll be fine. It’ll be good for him to have another year.”
An injury of his own kept Chris from CC’s final four regular-season games and the entirety of the postseason. He missed 12 games earlier in the season as well. Having a good summer and getting healthy are priorities.
Wilkie said it’s hard to tell how the next team will shape up, with two graduate transfers (forward Andrew Gaus from Yale, goaltender Ryan Ruck from Northeastern) and a new crop of freshmen. But he thinks the “pieces are there.”
However, his brother won’t be one of them.
Moving on
Several Tigers who went pro shortly after their college season ended are back working with the team before graduation May 19.
Trevor Gooch and Mason Bergh joined the Reading Royals (ECHL) and Ontario Reign (AHL) for late-season pushes. Gooch appeared in three games and had the chance to spend time with family in nearby New Jersey in addition to getting a feel for the pro game.
Bergh said the transition was smooth. He got some time on the power play and scored on a deflection in his first game March 31.
Both plan on training and seeing what pro opportunities come next.
Some seniors are exploring opportunities outside of hockey. Tanner Ockey — winner of one of the team’s highest honors, the Scott Winkler Award, at the Tigers' annual banquet — plans to move back to Canada, where he has work lined up and an National Collegiate Hockey Conference TV subscription to enjoy.
“Gotta keep an eye on these guys,” he said.
2019-20 Colorado College Hockey Schedule
Sat. Oct. 5 TBA (Exhibition) Home, time TBA
Fri. Oct. 11 Minnesota, Home, TBA
Sat. Oct. 12 Minnesota, Home, TBA
Fri. Oct. 25 Michigan State, Home, TBA
Sat. Oct. 26 Michigan State, Home, TBA
Fri. Nov. 1 Western Michigan*, Home, TBA
Sat. Nov. 2 Western Michigan*, Home, TBA
Fri. Nov. 15 St. Cloud State*, St. Cloud, MN, TBA
Sat. Nov. 16 St. Cloud State*, St. Cloud, MN, TBA
Fri. Nov. 22 Minnesota Duluth*, Duluth, MN, TBA
Sat. Nov. 23 Minnesota Duluth*, Duluth, MN, TBA
Fri. Dec. 6 Princeton, Princeton, NJ, TBA
Sat. Dec. 7 Princeton, Princeton, NJ, TBA
Fri. Dec. 13 Univ. of Denver*, Denver, CO, TBA
Sat. Dec. 14 Univ. of Denver,* Home, TBA
Sat. Dec. 28 Dartmouth Ledyard Classic, Hanover, NH, TBA
Sun. Dec. 29 Dartmouth Ledyard Classic, Hanover, NH, TBA
Fri. Jan. 10 Miami Univ.*, Home, TBA
Sat. Jan. 11 Miami Univ.*, Home, TBA
Fri. Jan. 17 Western Michigan*, Kalamazoo, MI, TBA
Sat. Jan. 18 Western Michigan*, Kalamazoo, MI, TBA
Fri. Jan. 24 Omaha*, Home, TBA
Sat. Jan. 25 Omaha*, Home, TBA
Fri. Jan. 31 North Dakota*, Grand Forks, ND, TBA
Sat. Feb. 1 North Dakota*, Grand Forks, ND, TBA
Fri. Feb. 7 St. Cloud State*, Home, TBA
Sat. Feb. 8 St. Cloud State*, Home, TBA
Fri. Feb. 14 Air Force, Home, TBA
Mon. Feb. 17 Air Force, USAFA, TBA
Fri. Feb. 21 Omaha*, Omaha, NE, TBA
Sat. Feb. 22 Omaha*, Omaha, NE, TBA
Fri. Feb. 28 Minnesota-Duluth*, Home, TBA
Sat. Feb. 29 Minnesota-Duluth*, Home, TBA
Fri. Mar. 6 Univ. of Denver*, Home, TBA
Sat. Mar. 7 Univ. of Denver*, Denver, TBA
Fri.-Sun. Mar. 13-15 NCHC First Round, TBA
Fri.-Sat. Mar. 20-21 NCHC Frozen Faceoff, St. Paul, MN, TBA
Fri.-Sun. Mar. 27-29 NCAA Regionals, TBA
Thurs.-Sat. Apr. 9-11 NCAA Frozen Four, Detroit, MI TBA
*NCHC Opponent