Denver, CO
University of Denver hockey’s unbeaten streak entering NCHC championship fueled by lights-out freshman goalie
Johnny Hicks couldn’t care less that he stands 5-foot-10. He was born that way, after all.
There is a growing stigma in the hockey world, Hicks said, about size and height. The long-limbed keepers are prevalent. DU hockey just had a two-year run behind local legend Matt Davis, who was 6-foot-1. And the Pioneers went into the season with 6-foot-3 freshman Quentin Miller as the heir apparent to Davis, with Hicks, the other freshman goalie, waiting quietly in the wings.
Well — not too quietly, if you happened to observe a Denver practice anytime since Hicks arrived from the WHL’s Victoria Royals this summer.
“There’s obviously some lazy goalies out there,” star defenseman Eric Pohlkamp smiled on Thursday. “But (Johnny) doesn’t take a shot off. He’s blocking every shot, whatever it is. And no, he’s been super fun to watch. He competes every single day.
“And it’s tough for us, in practice, because we want to score.
It’s become quite tough for opponents, too, since Hicks first stepped in the goal for an injured Miller in late January. From that point on, an underwhelming DU squad — sitting at just 14-11-2 and 2-6-1 in their last nine matches — has gone streaking. Denver hasn’t been beaten across its last 12 matches heading into Saturday’s NCHC championship against No. 6 Minnesota Duluth, as a deep squad has finally found a flowing offense.
And Hicks has been the lynchpin in the goal, with a truly remarkable stretch since stepping in for Miller: an 11-0-1 record in 12 starts, with two shutouts and a .961 save percentage on the season.
“If they do get a breakaway, you know he’s got it,” Pohlkamp said. “So the confidence he gives you is unbelievable.”
Injury creates an opportunity
That offensive freedom, perhaps, wasn’t quite there early in the season for a historic program coming off another Frozen Four run in the 2024-25 season. Denver was averaging just two goals per outing over that nine-match slump, entering a Jan. 24 matchup with St. Cloud State, where Miller exited with an injury a few minutes into the game. The roster was gripping their sticks “a little harder,” as Keiran Cebrian said, to try and find net. A vicious cycle.
And the group didn’t quite know what to expect from Hicks when he first took up the mantle, Pohlkamp said.
“But then, he came in and was excellent right from the start, which is honestly really hard to do,” Pohlkamp said. “To get thrown in the fire like that and do what he did.”
DU’s staff knew plenty well what Hicks was capable of. Head coach David Carle and goaltenders coach Ryan Massa recruited Hicks out of Canada around this time last year, as Hicks was rehabbing from an injury. Carle noticed one key fact: once Hicks got hurt, his Victoria Royals club started to “nose-dive,” as Carle remembered.
“The teams he was on,” Carle said, “anytime he was in the net, were winning games.”
History is repeating itself, with Hicks in Denver. Shots are finding the net with more regularity across the past couple of months, as Carle’s 2025-26 group wields a remarkably balanced attack: 12 different Pioneers have more than 15 points, with the NCHC championship match and an NCAA tournament run still left to come. Pohlkamp, who leads Denver with 17 goals and 37 points, was named a top-10 finalist for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award, which recognizes the best men’s college hockey player in the country.
“If I get it, I get it,” Pohlkamp said. “But, really looking at this weekend, and Saturday, and then (NCAA) regionals in Loveland, so. Hopefully, I’ll put a ring on my finger. That’d put the cherry on top, for sure.”
That stretch starts Saturday against the sixth-seeded Bulldogs (23-13-1), as Hicks’ role takes on greater importance. Minnesota Duluth will trot out a formidable and wholly contrasting man in the goal: Adam Gajan, who was named to Slovakia’s Olympic team in January. He stands 6-foot-3. He is long where Hicks is shorter. And yet Hicks has already beaten him twice before — a Friday-Saturday back-to-back in late January, as Denver beat Minnesota Duluth 4-3 and 1-0 to realign their season at the start of Hicks’ dominant stretch.
Hicks, for one, has paid particular attention to not paying attention to his numbers. Or his prospect profile, with his height. Or any external chatter about his performance. He is trying to focus, moment-to-moment, on the patch of ice that he patrols directly below the crossbar.
“If I can do that, I can do anything,” Hicks said. “And I know this team has the exact same mindset.”
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Denver, CO
Rep. Hurd emphasizes need for consistent, predictable energy policies at Denver roundtable
The Denver Broncos made a significant upgrade to their wide receiver corps this offseason trading for Jaylen Waddle. That gives them a solid group of five with Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, and Pat Byrant all in the mix. The hope is the corps can contribute at a high level for the upcoming 2026 season and help take Denver’s offense to the next level.
The Broncos didn’t draft a wide receiver this past April but signed a handful of undrafted free agents to compete for a spot. Additionally, they signed veteran wide receiver Mike Woods after he impressed at the team’s rookie minicamp several weeks ago.
Woods split time between Arkansas and Oklahoma during his collegiate career. He performed well during the pre-draft circuit and had a very good performance at the NFL Combine and was subsequently selected by the Cleveland Browns in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, since being drafted, he has made a minimal impact in the NFL with just 12 career receptions and 110 receiving yards.
Age: 26 | Experience: Fifth Year | College: Arkansas & Oklahoma | Height: 6’1” | Weight: 204 pounds
Arm Length: 33” | Hand Size: 9-3/8” | Broad Jump: 10’-5” | Vertical: 35-1/2”
40-Yard Dash: 4.37 seconds | 3-Cone: 7.07 seconds | 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.46 seconds
Mike Woods’ 2026 outlook with the Broncos
The Broncos have opted to carry five receivers on the final roster for most of Head Coach Sean Payton’s time leading the charge. It’s unlikely Woods will be able to unseat any of the five aforementioned receivers. Those spots are set in stone barring some unforeseen circumstance.
At best, it seems like he could be a fit on the team’s practice squad. His physical attributes and athletic testing scores are quite impressive outside of his agility drills. Perhaps he could be a potential game day elevation like we have seen from Lil’ Jordan Humphrey over the past few seasons.
However, he has had multiple significant injuries during his pro career and has been suspended in the past for off the field issues. With that in mind, it’s hard to see him being a contributor for the team this season to any significant degree.
Chalk it up as extremely doubtful that Woods ends up making the final roster. There is a chance he could make the team’s practice squad. But even with that, he faces an uphill battle. The team already has several other receivers in the fold who already have an extensive knowledge of Payton’s offense.
DENVER – Some of the most important documents in American history have arrived in Denver.
The Freedom Plane landed at Denver International Airport on Tuesday, carrying nine historic documents pulled directly from the National Archives for a rare traveling exhibit that will make eight stops across the country.
“This is a once-in-a-generation experience,” said National Archives Foundation CEO Patrick Madden. “For us at the National Archives, it is about the original records and saying, ‘How do you take this and make this a human experience, and know it was all people who were coming together around a common idea that has become our nation today?’”
The exhibit includes a William J. Stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence, a draft of the Constitution, a draft of the Bill of Rights, and the Oaths of Allegiance signed by George Washington, Aaron Burr, and Alexander Hamilton – documents that have never traveled outside of Washington, D.C. before this tour.
“What could be more important than these foundational documents that formed our nation?” said History Colorado President and CEO Dawn DiPrince. “To be invited to host these feels like one of the greatest honors that we could ever hope for in our work.”
Denver7’s Jim Waltz
Before the documents are ready for the public, History Colorado staff face a significant behind-the-scenes challenge to prepare the museum.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize what goes on behind the scenes in the museum,” said Exhibits and Loan Registrar Samantha Stamps-Ten Hoeve. “It’s kind of like an extreme version of Tetris, where there’s so many things going on.”
The preparation includes organizing security, calibrating lighting, and addressing a challenge unique to Colorado’s climate.
►Watch Ethan Carlson’s report in the player below:
Freedom Plane arrives in Denver with rare founding documents from National Archives
“We did make a plan: in our case, silica gel, because that’s very useful to help raise humidity,” Stamps-Ten Hoeve said.
The exhibit opens Thursday, May 28, and will only be on display for 17 days before moving on to Miami. Admission is free to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance at HistoryColorado.org.
“To do this on behalf of Coloradans and the Rocky Mountain West is pretty incredible,” DiPrince said.
Madden said the goal of the exhibit goes beyond a history lesson.
“We’re hoping they take a little bit of civic spark from it and say, ‘What is my role in my democracy today, and how do we shape it for the future?” Madden said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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