Hockey, Men's Sports

Denver Survives Poor Puck Luck & Extra Attacker Frenzy to Earn 3-2 Bounceback Victory Over WMU

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After last weekend’s disaster in Grand Forks where they were swept by the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, the #5 Denver Pioneers (18-7-2, 9-5-1 NCHC, 26 pts) returned home to face the #15 Western Michigan Broncos (15-9-1, 6-9-0 NCHC, 22 pts) in a key middle of the NCHC pack showdown. The Pioneers, looking for a big bounceback effort, scored twice in the opening period, then hit five posts, and added another in the final period to hold off the Broncos, 3-2.

In what has been a season full of offensive heroics and defensive lapses for the Pioneers, tonight was the exact opposite of DU’s on-ice brand. They played sound, structured defense, the PK did its job in its only test, and Matt Davis was spectacular in the crease, stopping 40 of Western’s 42 shots on goal. Meanwhile, DU only scored three times – a relative scoring drought compared to their NCAA-best offense – and the vaunted top line that features Massimo Rizzo and Jack Devine only managed a single point – Rizzo’s 33rd assist.

After withstanding an initial Bronco barrage in the opening period, Jared Wright and Alex Weiermair scored three-and-a-half minutes apart to account for the first-period scoring. But from there, Denver’s puck luck ran out. In the second period alone, Denver hit three posts, couldn’t take advantage of a perfect breakout pass from Matt Davis that caught the visitors in a line change, and suffered an early whistle that wiped a potential Sam Harris goal off the board. As a result, Luke Grainger, who tapped home a rebound on a WMU 2-on-1 look after DU’s Boston Buckberger tripped over himself at his own blue line, scored the only goal of the middle frame. What could have been a DU blowout if they got any bounces at all turned into a tight, 2-1 game going into the final period.

And, after Shai Buium scored a minute in to restore the Pios’ two-goal lead, all DU did in the third period was continue their impressive streak of near misses. More posts. More big saves by Broncos goalie Cameron Rowe. No more goals.

With just under four minutes to go, WMU coach Pat Ferschweiler pulled Rowe for the extra attacker and the puck nearly immediately went into DU’s net during a scrum in the crease. However, it was determined that Alex Bump had interfered with Davis – a couple of different angles showed his skate and stick preventing DU’s goalie from extending his left pad to attempt to make a save – and the goal was waved off. The Broncos, undeterred, pulled Rowe again, and with 3:09 left, Dylan Wendt took advantage of a rare defensive lapse and wired home a one-timer from the weak side.

Denver, of course, hit another post not a minute later and then had to survive the Broncos’ final push, again with the extra attacker. This time, the puck stayed out of the net and the Pioneers escaped Friday night with a gritty 3-2 victory and an important three points in the NCHC standings. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t perfect. But this time of year and over the next two months, winning in different ways is going to be something DU will need to know how to do. Tonight’s victory, if nothing else, helps prove to the Pioneers themselves that they actually can beat a good team without scoring five times.

Game two is set for tomorrow night at Magness Arena. The puck is scheduled to drop at 6:00pm. Keep an eye on social media, though, with potentially heavy snow expected in the area through tomorrow night.

Highlights

5 thoughts on “Denver Survives Poor Puck Luck & Extra Attacker Frenzy to Earn 3-2 Bounceback Victory Over WMU”

  2. Appreciate Let’s Go DU. Both the Denver Post and Denver Gazette fail to even mention the game. Thanks for your outstanding coverage!

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  3. The newspapers in Denver only publish the bad news.
    Way to go Pios. A really gritty win against a really good team.
    It’s beginning to look like, like by beating each other, the NCHC might end up with only 3 teams in the NCAA tourney. That would be very disappointing.

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  4. That was a battle. Pios showed some grit and mettle to hang on against a good and determined WMU team. Lots of anxious moments in that 3rd period. WMU had a big push. Pios had a lot of trouble fending off the forecheck and just getting clears in that period. Credit WMU–they are a good team and appear to be better than their record indicates.

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  5. What a train wreck Saturday night. Not a consistent goaltender in the group. The next couple of years don’t look promising.

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