University of Denver fans wait to get into Crimson & Gold Tavern to watch their Pioneers mens hockey team face off against Boston College in the NCAA’s Frozen Four final. April 14, 2024.
Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite
As Colorado sports fans recover from two heartbreaking playoff exits for their beloved teams, one of Denver’s collegiate squads could help elevate their cloudy spirits.
The No. 5 seed University of Denver men’s lacrosse team will face defending champion No. 1 seed Notre Dame in the national semifinal this Saturday at 10 a.m.
The game will be hosted at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and broadcast on ESPN2 and 104.3 The Fan HD3.
DU most recently won its record-breaking tenth NCAA Men’s hockey championship.
A win on Saturday would mark the lacrosse program’s second trip to the final. The team nabbed their first title back in 2015 under the direction of legendary coach Bill Tierney.
Denver vs. Notre Dame series
DU last faced Notre Dame in May 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down collegiate sports.
Denver holds an 11-14 all-time record against Notre Dame, including an identical meeting in the 2015 national semifinal. Twelve of the last 13 matches have been decided by three goals or less.
This is Denver’s 13th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the first since the 2021 season. The Irish hold a 14-1 record to Denver’s 13-3 record this season.
Notre Dame leads the country in scoring offense at 15.87 goals per game. Denver enters the week first in the country in man-down defense, stopping teams 84.4 percent of the time they find themselves with someone in the penalty box.
Denver’s 2015 title made them the first team to win it all outside of the Eastern Time Zone, when they beat Maryland 10-5.
Here are five places to catch the action this Saturday:
Campus Lounge
Address: 701 S. University Blvd.
Stadium Inn
Address: 1701 E. Evans Ave.
The Pioneer Bar
Address: 2401 S. University Blvd.
The DNVR Sports Bar
Address: 2239 E. Colfax Ave.
Crimson and Gold Tavern
Address: 2017 S. University Blvd.
