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Best New Hockey Feature in a Daily Newspaper

The Denver Post's "Video Hockey League"

Rather than banish pro hockey from its pages after NHL owners locked out players, editors at the Post wisely decided to have a little fun, recruiting kids between ages eight and fourteen to square off against each other in Xbox hockey clashes. Not only has this gimmick been a great way to introduce members of the Internet generation to newspapers, but it's given hockey scribes such as Adrian Dater an opportunity to try their hand at creative fiction. In the February 28 Post, for instance, Dater had Avs GM Pierre Lacroix denying that he'd responded to a loss by shouting "Heads will roll!," insisting that he'd actually said "Let's get on a roll." Sportswriting like that takes the sting out of the work stoppage.

Best New Hockey Feature in a Daily Newspaper

The Denver Post's "Video Hockey League"

Rather than banish pro hockey from its pages after NHL owners locked out players, editors at the Post wisely decided to have a little fun, recruiting kids between ages eight and fourteen to square off against each other in Xbox hockey clashes. Not only has this gimmick been a great way to introduce members of the Internet generation to newspapers, but it's given hockey scribes such as Adrian Dater an opportunity to try their hand at creative fiction. In the February 28 Post, for instance, Dater had Avs GM Pierre Lacroix denying that he'd responded to a loss by shouting "Heads will roll!," insisting that he'd actually said "Let's get on a roll." Sportswriting like that takes the sting out of the work stoppage.

Best Sports Team -- Professional

Colorado Eagles

Former Montreal Canadiens star and University of Denver coach Ralph Backstrom has struck gold as general manager of the scrappy, high-scoring Colorado Eagles, the second-year minor-league hockey team that's giving game-starved NHL fans a happy (and inexpensive) alternative at the sold-out Budweiser Events Center (aka the "Bud Barn") near Loveland. The Eagles led the Central Hockey League with a daunting 43-10-7 record, and forward Greg Pankiewicz, who has NHL experience, was voted the CHL's best player.

Best Sports Team -- Professional

Colorado Eagles

Former Montreal Canadiens star and University of Denver coach Ralph Backstrom has struck gold as general manager of the scrappy, high-scoring Colorado Eagles, the second-year minor-league hockey team that's giving game-starved NHL fans a happy (and inexpensive) alternative at the sold-out Budweiser Events Center (aka the "Bud Barn") near Loveland. The Eagles led the Central Hockey League with a daunting 43-10-7 record, and forward Greg Pankiewicz, who has NHL experience, was voted the CHL's best player.

Best Sports Team -- College

University of Denver Pioneers Hockey

When George Gwozdecky's underrated DU Pioneers team won the NCAA national championship last spring, college hockey was shocked. No surprise if the Pis repeat this season. After trailing archrival Colorado College in the polls for most of the year, DU (28-9-2) knocked off the Tigers in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association title game last Saturday with a 1-0 win and moved on to the NCAA tournament as a solid second choice behind Boston College. Look for the high-scoring Pioneers, backstopped by a pair of fast-developing young goaltenders, to come out as tough-minded and confident as ever in another surge to the Frozen Four.

Best Sports Team -- College

University of Denver Pioneers Hockey

When George Gwozdecky's underrated DU Pioneers team won the NCAA national championship last spring, college hockey was shocked. No surprise if the Pis repeat this season. After trailing archrival Colorado College in the polls for most of the year, DU (28-9-2) knocked off the Tigers in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association title game last Saturday with a 1-0 win and moved on to the NCAA tournament as a solid second choice behind Boston College. Look for the high-scoring Pioneers, backstopped by a pair of fast-developing young goaltenders, to come out as tough-minded and confident as ever in another surge to the Frozen Four.

Best Coach -- Professional

George Karl
Denver Nuggets

Talk about dramatic turnarounds. When hard-nosed George Karl, late of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Seattle Sonics, took over as the Denver Nuggets' head coach on January 27, they had a dismal 17-25 record under fired Jeff Bzdelik and fill-in Michael Cooper, and fans had begun to boo the lackluster efforts of highly paid stars like Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby. Since then, though, the resurgent Nugs have played 18-5 ball, and they've apparently nailed down a Western Conference playoff spot. The difference appears to be the no-nonsense leadership of Karl, who has a rep for treating young players harshly but now seems to be getting the best out of teenager Anthony and Brazilian work-in-progress Nene. The team's 8-4 record in February earned Karl Coach of the Month honors; he'd prefer to win the award in April.

Best Coach -- Professional

George Karl
Denver Nuggets

Talk about dramatic turnarounds. When hard-nosed George Karl, late of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Seattle Sonics, took over as the Denver Nuggets' head coach on January 27, they had a dismal 17-25 record under fired Jeff Bzdelik and fill-in Michael Cooper, and fans had begun to boo the lackluster efforts of highly paid stars like Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby. Since then, though, the resurgent Nugs have played 18-5 ball, and they've apparently nailed down a Western Conference playoff spot. The difference appears to be the no-nonsense leadership of Karl, who has a rep for treating young players harshly but now seems to be getting the best out of teenager Anthony and Brazilian work-in-progress Nene. The team's 8-4 record in February earned Karl Coach of the Month honors; he'd prefer to win the award in April.

Best Coach -- College

Mike Dunlap
Metropolitan State College Men's Basketball

It may be that Mike Dunlap, a fiery Alaskan who led the Metro State Roadrunners to NCAA Division II Basketball titles in 2000 and 2002, is the best sports coach in Colorado at any level. A master motivator who pressures his young men as fiercely as they apply pressure defense on the court, Dunlap has recently overseen 35 straight home wins, took league and regional titles again this year, and seeks national tournament glory once more for the 19,000-student commuter school on Denver's Auraria campus. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champs are 29-3 this year and ranked number two in Division II. To their relief, Dunlap is staying put: Long the hiring target of Division I programs, he's just rebuffed the latest feelers -- from Loyola Marymount, in California.

Best Coach -- College

Mike Dunlap
Metropolitan State College Men's Basketball

It may be that Mike Dunlap, a fiery Alaskan who led the Metro State Roadrunners to NCAA Division II Basketball titles in 2000 and 2002, is the best sports coach in Colorado at any level. A master motivator who pressures his young men as fiercely as they apply pressure defense on the court, Dunlap has recently overseen 35 straight home wins, took league and regional titles again this year, and seeks national tournament glory once more for the 19,000-student commuter school on Denver's Auraria campus. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champs are 29-3 this year and ranked number two in Division II. To their relief, Dunlap is staying put: Long the hiring target of Division I programs, he's just rebuffed the latest feelers -- from Loyola Marymount, in California.

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