Speed was the name of the game for DU in their 5-0 demolition of Colorado College. It was clear from the drop of the puck that the two teams were moving at different speeds on the ice. When asked about the edge in team speed, senior forward Brett Stapley (Campbell River, B.C.) said, “I think [speed] is one of the [stronger] attributes of our team, and when we play to our strengths it shows.”

Coming into the rivalry game, DU was hot, going 10-1-1 in their last 12 games, which helped them rise into the top five in the country. In a nationally televised game, with a wild crowd at their backs, DU got out to a quick start and never looked back. 

On an early powerplay, DU cashed in when senior captain Cole Guttman (Los Angeles, Calif.) corralled his own deflected shot and deposited it into the back of the net to put the Crimson and Gold up 1-0. 

DU still had the obvious advantage and had multiple quality scoring chances, but there were times at the end of the period when they seemed to take their foot off the gas. However, Colorado College was not able to take advantage of this, and the game went to the first intermission with a score of 1-0.

Denver put their feet back on the gas in the second period, reasserting their dominance of the game. Five minutes into the second period, DU broke through again when Stapley deflected a shot from senior defenseman Kyle Mayhew (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) past the Colorado College netminder. After further pressure, DU reached the net once more when senior forward Ryan Barrow (Banff, Alberta) scored on a goal assisted by Stapley. 

The third line, Barrow, Stapley and freshman Jack Devine (Glencoe, Ill.), flew around the ice all night, displaying their meticulous chemistry. 

The presence of two veteran linemates is bound to make the young Devine’s transition to college hockey as smooth as possible. Even though Devine only ended up with one assist, he earned a number of chances and had a fine-tuned presence on the court. 

“We have Devo (Devine) as a freshman, so I think it’s really about me and Stapes (Stapley) making Devo as comfortable as possible, and I think his skill is starting to come through,” said Barrow.  

At the beginning of the season, it seemed like there would be major defensive breakdowns about once or twice a quarter for DU. This is borne out both in the numbers, where they have given up less than three goals in 11 of their past 13 games, something they only managed to do twice in the first nine games. The early-season shortfalling has been cleaned up lately, with DU recording three straight shutouts. 

Assistant coach Dallas Ferguson, who stepped in for head coach David Carle who is currently absent due to COVID-19 protocols, attributed the improvement to the program’s identity.

“Denver’s identity is to be responsible, and there’s a certain way we want to play without the puck, and that’s to play quick and close on people, angle people and do it collectively,” Ferguson said.

This defensive improvement has also been critical in allowing junior goaltender Magnus Chrona (Stockholm, Sweden) to play with confidence, leading to some of the goalie’s best hockey. Chrona said the improved defense has been “a boost, especially on the penalty kill with our defensemen blocking shots.” While Chrona did not need to be exceptionally spectacular to win the game, given DU’s strong offensive showing, he came up with timely saves, holding down the fort while the offense went to work.

The game continued to be uncompetitive throughout, and by the end, DU won 5-0 in the first leg of the Battle for the Gold Pan, which they swept after a 4-0 victory on Saturday. DU will be back in Magness Arena on Feb. 4 to take on St. Cloud State.