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#1 Denver Tops #20 Wisconsin in Season’s First Comeback Victory

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Through their first four games, the top-ranked Denver Pioneers ( 5-0-0, 0-0-0 NCHC) had not trailed. That changed barely four minutes into game five, though, as the #20 Wisconsin Badgers (1-4-0, 1-1-0 Big Ten) struck first at Magness Arena in the first matchup between the two old WCHA rivals in Denver since 2016. But after a back-and-forth first period played to a 2-2 tie, the Pioneers’ Cale Ashcroft sealed the victory with his second-career goal before Carter King iced the 4-2 victory with an empty-netter. Mike Hastings’ Badgers were Denver’s stiffest test through the season’s first four weeks and despite an inconsistent effort through the first two periods, the Pioneers passed and remained unbeaten.

Eric Pohlkamp opened the scoring for the Pioneers with a one-timer off of a pass from Jack Devine just three minutes after the Badgers struck first by taking advantage of an uncharacteristic defensive zone turnover by DU. Denver’s lead would last just as long as the Badgers’ initial lead, though, when Quinn Finley capitalized on another bad DU turnover. DU’s star netminder Matt Davis had no prayer on either goal scored, thanks in large part to the leaky defense in front of him. Fortunately, the Badgers handed the Pioneers a late first-period penalty and, as Denver so often does, they took advantage quickly as Jack Devine found Sam Harris on the doorstep for their 11th assist and 5th goal, respectively. Devine, for his part, is leading the country in scoring with zero goals and 11 assists for 11 points, tied with Union’s Ben Muthersbaugh & Minnesota’s Connor Kurth.

No one in DU’s dressing room would mistake this victory – one that reminded many of the old WCHA’s heyday – for one of their better performances but great teams find ways to win when they are not at their best. Mike Hastings, the same Mike Hastings who coached the Minnesota State Mavericks to the 2022 national championship game, only to lose to David Carle’s Pioneers in Boston, has a knack for crafting gameplans intended to knock his opposition off of their game and just like in Boston in 2022, he nearly did it again in Denver. But just like in Boston in 2022, his team couldn’t keep the effort up for a full 60 minutes and the Pioneers took full advantage in the final frame.

Let’s be clear – it’s going to take a much better and cleaner effort if the Pioneers are going to earn the sweep tomorrow night. But on this night, Denver did just enough, found their legs at just the right time, and Ashcroft did the rest.

The puck drops on game two at 6:00 at Magness Arena tomorrow night.

Highlights

Top photo: Morgan Engel/Clarkson Creative via Denver Athletics

4 thoughts on “#1 Denver Tops #20 Wisconsin in Season’s First Comeback Victory”

  2. I missed last weekend’s series, so this was the first time seeing DU this year. Last night was a battle, not just against Wisco, but I thought DU battled themselves at times. There was some sloppy play, uncharacteristic turnovers, and at times it didn’t seem DU had the jam they needed to win a game like that. Still, the Pios showed some grit and moxie in gutting out a win when they weren’t at their best.

    Hopefully the intensity level ramps up tonight and DU can generate a more consistent forecheck and pressure the Badgers more.

    Having said that, full credit to Wisco. That’s a good team, probably better than their record indicates, and they showed up well last night. They have enough speed and skill to be dangerous, and they logged quite a bit of zone time last night with a good forecheck and solid puck possession.

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  4. Wisconsin was the better team for much of last night’s game – out-hitting, out-shooting, out shot-blocking and out face-offing the Pios. UW deserved to win it, but great teams find ways to win even when they aren’t playing their best, and that is just what the Pios did last night. It was a very professional close-out in the third, and a big step for DU against a very physical and skilled UW team that is far, far better than its record.

    This kind of physical game was a first for DU this season, and UW’s top line proved to be a real handful. The Pios need to adjust to it, especially avoiding d-zone turnovers.

    We also saw last night the blue print that other big and skilled teams will use to attack the Pios – come out hard, gap-up, shoot from anywhere and create turnovers and o-zone, and out-muscle Denver. Last night was a vintage Mike Hastings coaching performance – taking away time and space from DU’s skill guys, and winning puck battles on the walls for the first 45 or 50 minutes. Fortunately, I think UW got a little tired toward the last 10 minutes as the Pios had more energy after rolling four lines all night, but there was that one hold-your-breath stretch in the final minutes when DU had its overmatched fourth line penned in the d-zone and got out of it without calling a timeout.

    Would like to see DU start better tonight and show more intensity out of the chute. UW scoring first took the sellout crowd out of the game, and kept things tense all night.

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