The two teams with the longest meeting streak in collegiate hockey met again this past weekend. Colorado College and the University of Denver played each other for the 338th and 339th time, passing Michigan and Michigan State (337). After outscoring CC 11-2 this weekend, DU reclaimed the Gold Pan title for the fifth straight season. 

Friday night’s game at Magness Arena saw crowds never seen before, setting a new attendance record of 7,021. The student section was overflowing, leaving only standing room as Magness filled to capacity.

Things did not go DU’s way at first, as the only goal of the first period of Friday night’s matchup came by the Tiger, freshman forward Evan Werner. The Crimson and Gold used the early deficit to add fuel to the fire, kickstarting their offensive momentum in period two. 

The Buium-Buium brother connection struck again for Denver. Junior defenseman Shai Buium with help from his little brother, freshman defenseman Zeev, evened the score up early in the second. Not two minutes later, junior forward Tristan Broz scored the game winner, granting DU a lead that they would refuse to concede. After not having a single short-handed goal last season, junior forward Carter King scored the second of the year to give DU a comfortable 3-1 lead heading into the final period.

Junior forward Jack Devine continued his roll of a season and added two more goals onto the night. Sophomore forward Jared Wright scored his first of the season with 12 seconds left. Night one ended in a 6-1 W for the Crimson and Gold. 

Saturday’s game took place just down the road with CC hosting the night’s events. Just minutes into play, freshman defenseman Boston Buckberger drilled one into the back of the net to give DU one of many leads throughout the night. The Tigers fired back as sophomore forward, Gleb Veremyev evened it up with CC’s only goal of the night. The rest of the period witnessed a pause in scoring, as the teams resumed the second period with the game still tied.

Two first career goals for Denver were scored in the second to extend the lead. Freshman forward Miko Matikka slotted the game-deciding goal into the net, bringing the lead to 2-1. Not long after, freshman forward Sam Harris found the net to increase the lead to two by the end of the second. 

Both the goals in the third came as the second goals of the weekend. Wright and King found nylon to secure the 5-1 win and the Gold Pan trophy. 

Freshman goaltender Freddie Halyk had an amazing weekend guarding the twine. He had 39 saves and a combined save percentage of .958 on the weekend. This season, he only has allowed two goals in the time the rest of his team has scored 15. 

Denver travels down to Arizona State next weekend for two out-of-conference contests and then returns home to play NCHC opponent Omaha the following weekend.