Coming off back-to-back losses to No. 1 North Dakota in Grand Forks on Feb. 14 and 15, the Pioneers headed into last weekend’s series against an unranked Miami (Ohio) team hungry to snap their four-game losing streak. Scoring a combined 14 points between the two games to Miami’s three, Denver was able to do just that and more, with a 7-3 victory on Friday night and a 7-0 win on Saturday. The two games marked the highest-scoring games for the Pioneers all season.
On Friday, Miami opened the scoring just two minutes into the game, with Casey Gilling collecting a rebound off the end boards. Sophomore forward Tyler Ward (Kamloops, B.C.) was quick to respond, with a score at 2:44. Sophomore forward Cole Guttman (Los Angeles, Calif.) found the net on a power play at 7:21, after a penalty from Miami’s Matt Barry, who got called for interfering with freshman goaltender Magnus Chrona (Stockholm, Sweden). Ward picked up 2 more goals, one on a power play, to secure a hat trick within the first quarter, giving Denver a commanding 4-1 lead.
Both teams scored 2 goals each in the second period, with the goals from Denver from Guttman, who received a pass on a one-timer from sophomore forward Hank Crone (Dallas, Texas). Crone picked up a goal of his own with less than a minute remaining in the period. Crone’s goal was originally called no good, but a video review determined the puck had been swatted out of the air and across the goal line.
In the third period, junior defenseman Ian Mitchell (Calahoo, Alberta) scored at 3:39 to add extra cushion to an already comfortable lead, with a floating wrist shot from the left point on the Pioneer’s sixth power play of the game to secure a Pioneer victory.
Chrona made 20 saves in the game and the Pioneers outshot the Redhawks 55-23.
On Saturday, junior goaltender Devin Cooley (Los Gatos, Calif.) started at goalie. Denver was able to gradually build up their dominant performance, starting with a goal on a power play from Guttman after a holding call on the RedHawks’ Rourke Russell.
The Pioneers took total control in the second period, collecting 4 goals. Mitchell made it 2-0 with a drifter from the left point at 6:53 and sophomore forward Emilio Pettersen (Manglerud, Norway) extended the lead at 10:41. A shot from junior defenseman Griffin Mendel (Kelowna, B.C.) off a pass from Guttman made it 4-0 at 15:56. Pettersen added a highlight-worthy goal with just a minute and a half remaining in the period, bringing RedHawks goaltender Ben Kraws to the ice. With 30 seconds remaining, Cooley made a flashy slide across the crease to deny Miami defenseman Alex Mahalak.
In the third period, Denver picked up 2 more goals. Freshman defenseman Justin Lee (Waskada, Manitoba) scored on a one-timer on a power play at 12:53, and sophomore forward Brett Stapley (Campbell River, B.C) added the Pioneer’s seventh and final goal of the night at 14:05.
Cooley picked up his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career with the win on Saturday.
Freshman forward Bobby Brink (Minnetonka, Minn.) sat out both games after suffering a lower-body injury on Feb. 14 in North Dakota. His date of return remains unknown.
Next, the Pioneers will head to St. Cloud State for their second series against the Huskies this season. Last time, Denver won both games.
