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Best Rapid

Pablo Mastroeni

One of Major League Soccer's staunchest play-breakers and a leading attacker as well, Argentina-born defender Pablo Mastroeni is, at age 29, one of the league's most respected players. Named the Colorado Rapids' team captain last year, the 5'10", 170-pound speedster has split time between the Rapids and the U.S. National Team since arriving in Colorado in 2002, and his peerless work ethic earned him the team's 2004 Black and Blue Award, given to the player who best exemplifies the team's never-say-die spirit. He played his college soccer at North Carolina State.

Best Av-Not

Peter Forsberg
Modo (Sweden)

The Colorado Avalanche may have seen the last of its beloved two-time Stanley Cup hero, Peter Forsberg. This year's National Hockey League owners' lockout has driven hundreds of NHL players to Europe, including former league MVP Forsberg. He was playing for Modo in his native Sweden's well-respected, finesse-oriented Elite League until a serious concussion felled him earlier this month. "Foppa" had announced last September that he would remain in Sweden for the entire season, even if part of the NHL schedule was saved. But the latest injury to the 31-year-old star is likely to end his career altogether.

Best Av-Not

Peter Forsberg
Modo (Sweden)

The Colorado Avalanche may have seen the last of its beloved two-time Stanley Cup hero, Peter Forsberg. This year's National Hockey League owners' lockout has driven hundreds of NHL players to Europe, including former league MVP Forsberg. He was playing for Modo in his native Sweden's well-respected, finesse-oriented Elite League until a serious concussion felled him earlier this month. "Foppa" had announced last September that he would remain in Sweden for the entire season, even if part of the NHL schedule was saved. But the latest injury to the 31-year-old star is likely to end his career altogether.

Best Medicine for Ailing NHL Fans

Colorado College-University of Denver hockey rivalry

What a sublime moment for Colorado's two dominant college hockey teams to rise to the top of the national standings. While the National Hockey League cools its skates off the ice, last season's surprising NCAA champions, the Denver Pioneers, are seeded second in the sixteen-team NCAA tournament field; their hated rivals from Colorado College are -- wouldn't you know it? -- number three. The Pis (28-9-2) and the Tigers (29-8-3) split the four games they played this season, and DU beat CC 1-0 to win the Western Collegiate Hockey Association title. Next, it's on to the NCAAs and the renewal of a bitter rivalry that dates back to 1949 and encompasses 254 match-ups.

Best Medicine for Ailing NHL Fans

Colorado College-University of Denver hockey rivalry

What a sublime moment for Colorado's two dominant college hockey teams to rise to the top of the national standings. While the National Hockey League cools its skates off the ice, last season's surprising NCAA champions, the Denver Pioneers, are seeded second in the sixteen-team NCAA tournament field; their hated rivals from Colorado College are -- wouldn't you know it? -- number three. The Pis (28-9-2) and the Tigers (29-8-3) split the four games they played this season, and DU beat CC 1-0 to win the Western Collegiate Hockey Association title. Next, it's on to the NCAAs and the renewal of a bitter rivalry that dates back to 1949 and encompasses 254 match-ups.

Best Happy (Hockey) Ending on TV

Classic Avalanche games on Altitude

With the 2004-2005 National Hockey League season officially in the grave, Colorado Avalanche fanatics have only one place to turn: Altitude. The new cable-sports network, founded by Stan Kroenke as a showcase for the professional teams he owns (most prominently, the Avs and the Denver Nuggets), may not have any new matches to broadcast, but it's got plenty of old ones. Programmers have the luxury of picking and choosing based on the final outcome, and thus far, they've selected thrilling victories, not discomfiting defeats. There's precious little suspense, but loads of icy satisfaction.

Best Happy (Hockey) Ending on TV

Classic Avalanche games on Altitude

With the 2004-2005 National Hockey League season officially in the grave, Colorado Avalanche fanatics have only one place to turn: Altitude. The new cable-sports network, founded by Stan Kroenke as a showcase for the professional teams he owns (most prominently, the Avs and the Denver Nuggets), may not have any new matches to broadcast, but it's got plenty of old ones. Programmers have the luxury of picking and choosing based on the final outcome, and thus far, they've selected thrilling victories, not discomfiting defeats. There's precious little suspense, but loads of icy satisfaction.

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.

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