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The last non-conference games are in the books for the Pioneers. It is time to focus on the last eight games of the season. With all remaining games against WCHA opponents, the Pioneers control their own destiny going into the conference playoffs.

They are sitting in third place, one point behind Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State, but the Pioneers have played two less conference games.

The Pioneers remain at No. 2 in the nation behind No. 1 Miami-Ohio.

Last weekend, DU had two games against non-conference opponents Mercyhurst and Air Force.

Freshman goalie Adam Murray was in goal for the Pioneers for the first time in nearly two months.

Freshman Chris Knowlton and sophomore Luke Salazar scored goals for the Pioneers in the first period and junior Anthony Maiani scored in the second period. DU took a 3-0 lead into the third period.

After Mercyhurst scored with less than five minutes left in the game, sophomore Joe Colborne scored just 42 seconds later. DU won the game 4-1.

Air Force posed a much more formidable test. In front of a raucous crowd in Cadet Ice Arena, the Pioneers found themselves struggling to get anything going.

“It was one of the most, if not the most challenging road game we have had all year. The atmosphere was intense,” said senior captain Rhett Rakhshani.

Air Force dominated the first period, outshooting DU 14-7. With junior goaltender Marc Cheverie back in net, he was able to shut Air Force down.

Freshman Matt Donovan got the puck on a pass from Rakhshani and fired it home mid-way through the second period, and the Pioneers took a 1-0 lead into the third period.

The lead did not last long in the third period, as Air Force scored a power-play goal just 29 seconds into the period.

Cheverie took over from there. He was called on to make save after save as Air Force could taste the upset. The Pioneers were only able to muster eight shots in the period, but Cheverie’s play got them to overtime.

With only 57 seconds left in overtime, junior Kyle Ostrow scored a goal to get the Pioneers the win, 2-1.

Cheverie finished the game with a season-high 45 saves on 46 shots against, also a season-high.

The Pioneers face the Minnesota Golden Gophers this weekend.

Minnesota currently sits in seventh place in the conference standings and is unranked nationally.

They have lost three of their last four games and were swept by the Pioneers earlier this year.

The Gophers did not score a goal in the series against the Pioneers, losing both games, 3-0.

However, they are still not a team to be taken lightly.

“Minnesota is a skilled team that always has the potential to be potent. They are fast and will looking to avenge our sweep of them at the beginning of the year. We have to bring out best against them if we are going to win,” said senior Tyler Ruegsegger.

The games are Friday at 7:35 p.m. and Saturday at 7:05 p.m. Both games are at home in Magness Arena.