DENVER Ask Connor Caponi how many hockey games he's played in at the University of Denver, and he'll shrug.The number makes no difference to Caponi, but the DU hockey record books may need rearranging soon if he can stay healthy.On Friday, Caponi is expected to suit up in his 164th game as the Pioneers take on Minnesota Duluth. That would put him five more games away from breaking DU's all-time record."It's obviously an honor to play that many games for a program like Denver," said Caponi, who joined DU in 2020 and is now a graduate student. "It's cool, and I'm proud of being able to play here for so long, but it's not something that I look into too much.""Every game you're able to strap on the Pioneers sweater is something really special to me," said Jack Devine, a senior forward for DU hockey. "I think it's an honor and a privilege to do that every game, and it would be really cool if he can get the record."Right now, Caponi is tied with Mike Markovich (1988-1993) for sixth place in the programs record book, and when he suits up against the Bulldogs, he'll join a three-way tie for third place.One of Caponis former teammates, Ryan Barrow (2017-2022), owns the current record at 168 games played a mark he set in the 2022 NCAA National Championship Game where he also scored the game-tying goal that sparked DU to a 5-1 victory against Minnesota State.Caponi said part of surviving in college hockey long enough to break a record like this relies on a great group around him."Some days are easier than others," he told Denver7 Sports. "Especially with the way I play, the style can be hard on the body. We have amazing facilities and amazing trainers. They keep us ready to go."Another component is staying mentally engaged with the day-to-day grind the sport creates. For Caponi, that's easy. He has a locker room full of teammates who are counting on him to lace up those skates."I'm not going to let any of my teammates down," he said. "That's the way I think about it. I think about the other guys in the room and not myself.""He's definitely one of the toughest guys I've ever played with," said Devine. "He always brings lots of intensity every night, and he always goes out there to make his presence felt."Barring any unforeseen injuries, Caponi will break the record on the road at Arizona State on Feb. 8.