Entering this past week ranked no. 13 in the country, the Denver hockey program hosted two games against St. Cloud State in Magness Arena. The Pioneers emerged with a pair of wins, but they didn’t come easily.
Despite stopping 10 of the first 11 shots, DU sophomore goalie Evan Cowley was pulled late in the first period. Freshman Tanner Jaillet was called upon to serve as the Pioneers’ backstop for the rest of the game. Jaillet did not disappoint, registering 16 saves on 16 shots against him.
Heading into the second period trailing 1-0, DU relied on a familiar face for an uplift. Hobey Baker Award candidate senior Joey LaLeggia assisted on junior Gabe Levin’s goal, then scored one of his own in the second frame. The two goals proved to be all the Pioneers needed as they cruised to a 3-1 victory. A strong second period in which the Pioneers outshot St. Cloud State 12-3, was the turning point for the weekend’s set of games.
In the third period, senior Daniel Doremus knocked the third and final goal home. With the win, Jaillet improved to an impressive 5-2 record.
Seeking another victory, DU laced up the skates again on Saturday night. Jaillet got the nod as the starting goaltender, which turned out to be the right decision, as he took home first star of the night. The freshman turned aside 28 of the 29 shots he faced.
There were no goals scored until the second period, when junior Nolan Zajac ripped one home in the slot off a sweet pass from senior Matt Tabrum on the rush. However, Nick Oliver of St. Cloud State would even the score just minutes into the third period.
In what turned out to be the game deciding goal, Pioneer and Boston Bruins prospect freshman Danton Heinen tapped in an easy rebound. His key supreme positioning allowed him to finish off the shot from sophomore Matt VanVoorhis. Heinen has now logged 25 points in only 21 games for the Pioneers. His above-average shot, playmaking ability and positioning at both ends of the ice have allowed him to seamlessly transition to the NCAA ranks.
St. Cloud State found it difficult to quiet the play of star defenseman LaLeggia again in this game. On a sweet give and go between LaLeggia and sophomore Trevor Moore, LaLeggia hit Moore on the back door for a wide-open, game clinching goal with only five minutes left. That goal brought the score to 4-1, which would be the final.
The Pioneers will have their hands full next weekend when they visit the no. 9 ranked Miami (OH) Jan. 23-24.
