“We were joking last night after the game. We were walking off the ice and all the guys who aren’t in the line-up are meeting us at the gate boards, giving everybody fist-bumps and I’m thinking, ‘That’s a pretty good lineup standing there greeting us.’ Bennett and Makowski and Knowlton and Drew Shore [are standing there] and I’m thinking, ‘We could use those guys,'” said head coach George Gwozdecky after Sunday’s win.

Senior forward Luke Salazar netted the game winners in both Friday’s and Saturday’s games, helping the Pioneers to the series victory.

“Luke Salazar, the last four weeks starting with North Dakota – this is the best hockey he has played as a Pioneer, without a doubt. He is energized, he is fast, he’s playing well at both ends of the rink and he’s being a difference, not only with his line, but with the team,” said Gwozdecky. “He’s become a full-fledged, multi-dimensional player. He made some great plays at Nebraska-Omaha last weekend. You want to see your older guys, your more experienced guys make plays like that and say, ‘Hey guys, follow me.’ His example of his on-ice play has shown great leadership.”

Also scoring for the Pioneers were senior forward Nate Dewhurst and sophomore forward Nick Shore on Saturday and freshman forward Ty Loney and Nick Shore, who scored a power-play goal, on Sunday.

“I think there’s no question that Wisconsin played a terrific series. They’re playing their best hockey of the year, and Rumpel was terrific in goal. You couldn’t have asked for a closer series. I think this type of series and this type of game is somewhat symbolic of our season,” said Gwozdecky. “Things don’t look good, the other team has got a lead or whatever, but we battle back. Think of our team at Christmas and where we were.

“We knew we had to get on a run in the second half, and we did. We won some big games, swept Minnesota and stubbed our toe on that first night against North Dakota, but we came back. Certainly this team, they have a lot of fight in them. It hasn’t been easy, but certainly pretty rewarding.”

Denver is currently ranked No. 11 in the Pairwise Rankings and still hunting for the top 16 to clinch a bid for the NCAA tournament.

In Friday’s contest, both teams struggled offensively and were unable to find the net in the first two periods, with freshman goalies Juho Olkinuora and Joel Rumpel for the Badgers putting forth strong performances. Rumpel stopped 23 Denver shots in the first two periods, while Olkinuora stopped 15. The Badgers netted the only goal of the game with just under six minutes remaining in the contest and the Pioneers could not answer.

Saturday, despite a five-minute major and game misconduct for Drew Shore and another scoreless first two periods, Dewhurst, Nick Shore and Salazar each found the net in the third period. Sophomore goalie Sam Brittain started in net for the Pioneers, recording 27 saves for the Pioneers.

On Sunday, the Pioneers were battling the adversity of trailing for most of the game when Nick Shore netted his power-play goal to send the Pioneers into overtime. Salazar scored his second goal of the weekend less than two minutes into the 20-minute extra period. Brittain represented the Pioneers in goal again, making 24 saves.

“It certainly wasn’t a great start for Sam. It was one of those games where I think the team returned the favor to Sam because there were times over the course of the last almost two years now, there were times where Sam had bailed us out, and tonight we bailed Sam out,” said Gwozdecky. “He didn’t start out strong, but he finished very well, and that’s a sign of a very good goaltender, that’s a sign of a team that’s going to be able to continue to have success.”

After the series win, the Pioneers will travel to St. Paul, Minn., for the Final Five tournament, where they will take on Michigan Tech in the first round on Thursday at 1:07 p.m.

In the previous meeting with Michigan Tech Oct. 28-29, the Pioneers went 0-1-1. In the last 14 meetings, the Pioneers have gone 10-3-1 with the Huskies.

“I don’t know [how we are going to beat them, yet.] We haven’t beat them yet this year. We lost and tied to them up in Houghton back in October, and it wasn’t pretty. They’re a very good team, much improved. Mel Pearson certainly has done a great job, him and his staff, and he deserves to be coach of the year in our league,” said Gwozdecky. “But right now, I can’t recall a time that I’ve been coaching at Denver where we have been tested so fiercely by our opponent in the first round of the playoffs and how excited we all are to be moving on to the Final Five. This has been a real tester for us.”

Leading the Huskies is freshman forward David Johnstone with 30 points off 12 goals and 18 assists, senior forward Brett Olson with 30 points off 10 goals and 20 assists and senior forward Jordan Baker with 27 points off 10 goals and 17 assists.

The Tech defense is led by junior defenseman Steven Siego and senior goaltender Josh Robinson, who has a .908 save percentage with 90 goals allowed in his 34 games this season.

Earlier in the week, the Pioneers earned several awards. Freshman defenseman Joey LaLeggia was named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie of the Year, All-WCHA First Team and All-WCHA Rookie Team on Thursday by the WCHA.

Drew Shore and sophomore forward Jason Zucker were both named to the All-WCHA Second Team for the second straight season. Joining LaLeggia on the All-WCHA Rookie Team is Olkinuora.

Denver also had 18 of the 149 student-athletes named to the All-WCHA Academic Team. Named to the team with a 3.0 GPA or higher in the last three quarters were forwards Bennett, Dewhurst, senior and co-captain Dustin Jackson, Knowlton, sophomore Dan Olszewski, sophomore Jarrod Mermis, junior Shawn Ostrow, Salazar, Nick Shore, Drew Shore and Zucker.

Also honored were defensemen redshirt senior John Ryder, senior John Lee, Makowski, junior Paul Phillips, and goalies Brittain and junior Adam Murray. Student assistant coach David Carle was also honored. Carle, Dewhurst, Jackson, Lee, Ostrow, Phillips, Ryder, Salazar and Drew Shore are repeat selections.

From the injury list, Gwozdecky hopes for the return of some key players after next weekend’s constest.