Photo by: Sam Schroeder
In its season opener, DU’s hockey team chalked up a decisive 2-0, 3-1 weekend sweep over No. 12 University of Maine.
Senior goaltender Peter Mannino captured his 10th career shutout in goal on Friday, stopping 25 shots, and then blocked 29 of 30 shots on Saturday night.
The question about the many freshmen on the team was answered with freshmen scoring three of the five goals during the weekend.
Team chemistry looked to be at full strength with players constantly talking to each other on the ice and the defense giving up just one goal in two games to one of the top teams in the country.
“Freshmen played real well offensively and defensively. We are really coming together as a team so far. Obviously, there are some things that we need to improve, but this was a good start,” said sophomore forward Tyler Ruegsegger.
In Friday evening’s home opener at Magness Arena, the Pioneers and Black Bears were scoreless after one period as both squads were working out the kinks during the first game of the season.
Those kinks quickly went away for DU as Ruegsegger scored on the power play six minutes into the second period, assisted by junior Chris Butler. Then with just seconds remaining in the period, Denver had a power play again and this time Butler and Ruegsegger found freshman Kyle Ostrow for his first career goal and a 2-0 lead. In the third period, both teams had chances but could not finish, and the game would end in a 2-0 Denver victory.
“I thought tonight we generated a lot of chances. If we can generate the type of chances we did tonight down the road our power play is going to be very good,” said Head Coach George Gwozdecky.
Mannino was on his game throughout, seeing the puck very well and making some outstanding stops.
“A shutout is a good feeling for a goalie, but we are taking it one game at a time and it is in the past already,” said Mannino.
On Saturday night, the Pioneers wasted no time getting on the board as junior Brock Trotter flew down the ice off the face-off and buried a shot past Maine goaltender Ben Bishop just six seconds into the game. Just a few minutes later, Maine tied up the game on the power play.
DU would have the last say in the first stanza as freshman Jesse Martin scored off a pass from Ruegsegger and junior Patrick Mullen to make it 2-1 Pioneers at the first intermission. Denver started to put the game out of reach in the second period when, with just over a minute remaining, freshman Anthony Maiani recorded his first career goal to make DU’s lead 3-1.
The third period was controlled by the Bears as they out-shot the Pioneers 15-5 in the frame but could never find the back of the net and DU held on for the victory.
For the first games of the season, Denver looked solid on defense, the power play, when passing and especially in goal.
DU is now 5-8 in season openers under Gwozdecky and has won five of its last six home openers.
Denver played without sophomore Rhett Rakhshani during the weekend after he suffered a concussion last Sunday in the exhibition game against Calgary.
Gwozdecky is now just one win away from recording his 300th victory as DU head coach. He has a 299-191-40 mark in 14 seasons at the helm, the second most wins in program history behind Murray Armstrong’s 460.
DU will next play Thursday and Friday on the road against non-conference foe Notre Dame, with both games beginning at 5:30 pm mountain time.
