In a three-game playoff series, the DU hockey team only needed two to knock off the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). No. 6 ranked Denver won the first meeting by a score of 5-2 and was able to secure the series sweep in a thrilling, double-overtime 4-3 victory at Magness Arena on March 12.
The Pioneers were scoreless in the first period of the first meeting with Omaha, but saw an offensive spark in the second frame. Junior Trevor Moore (Thousand Oaks, California) tallied a breakaway goal in the opening minute of the period before freshman Troy Terry (Denver, Colorado) doubled the lead about one minute later with a deflection off freshman Blake Hillman’s (Elk River, Minnesota) point shot. Another freshman, Colin Staub (Colorado Springs, Colorado), would tally the game-winning goal just seconds after.
It was a whirl-wind three minutes for both teams which saw Denver take a huge 3-0 advantage, but Omaha was far from finished.
UNO nearly tied the game with a pair of second period goals, but were ultimately unable to solve sophomore goaltender Tanner Jaillet (Red Deer, Alberta). Jaillet recorded 29 saves on the night.
Sophomore winger Danton Heinen (Langley, British Columbia) would score a shorthanded goal in the third period, the dagger Denver needed to silence the visiting team. Heinen would also add an empty-net goal, putting the Pioneers up 5-2 and eventually 1-0 in the series. In ten games played since Feb. 1, Heinen has recorded an astounding 20 points with eight goals and 12 assists.
With their season on the line, Omaha gave a valiant effort in game two at Magness Arena. UNO outshot DU 54-50, but it was the Pioneers’ depth that earned them the victory.
The longest game in Magness history would again see Denver take the first lead.
First, senior Quentin Shore (Denver, Colorado) would bury a cross crease pass from another senior, Nolan Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba), right by the goalie’s left pad. Later in the first period, Zajac would again dangle his way to the front of the net, only to feed Shore’s linemate Terry for another easy tap in goal.
“I thought Nolan Zajac and Quentin Shore were phenomenal tonight. Zajac took over the game in the first period and kept breaking pucks out,” said Denver head coach Jim Montgomery. “Shore, since Jan. 1, is probably winning 70 percent of his faceoffs. I throw him over the boards so much that sometimes I have to look at him and ask, ‘Can you take it? Can you give us ten seconds and then come change?’”
Omaha seemed to wake up in the second period with their season on the line, racking up a whopping 21 shots in the frame. With goals from Jake Guentzel and Austin Ortega, UNO battled back and tied the game. DU took three penalties in a row, including a five minute major, which allowed Omaha to gain both traction and momentum in the game.
Just 1:31 into the third period, Heinen streaked in on a breakaway and buried his 18th goal of the season, extending his point streak to 14 games. Not to be outdone, Ortega would tie the game again on a one-timer while Hillman was serving an interference penalty.
After both goaltenders stood their ground for the rest of the third period, fans at Magness Arena were treated to some overtime playoff hockey.
It took some fantastic, lunging saves from Jaillet to keep the game scoreless in the extra frame. The game seemed over at one point, as an Omaha player gathered the puck while staring down a near empty net. But Jaillet was able to dig in with his skate and stride across the crease, keeping the Pioneers alive in the game.
“Our whole bench thought the game was over. But then, we had life again,” said Montgomery.
One overtime period was not enough and the match headed to double-overtime. DU came out firing, recording ten shots in the 8:54 played in the period before Staub slid the game-winning, rebound goal past the goalie’s right pad directly in front of an exhausted, yet still screaming student section.
“He [Staub] is just so dangerous. He’s a guy that attacks the net and he’s so strong, he goes right through people. I thought he almost scored twice in the first overtime. It’s amazing how much he’s grown as a player in his freshman year,” Montgomery said.
Denver celebrated in the corner of the ice after their 11th straight win, shook hands with Omaha and advanced on to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. The Pioneers will face St. Cloud State in another three-game series beginning Friday, March 18.
