Denver men’s hockey looked to rebound Saturday night after a disappointing Friday 4-3 loss to Lindenwood University. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch hailed the victory as “the best win in program history”. #5 DU rolls out a young team this season, 10 freshmen, but the 4-3 loss in front of 1,888 witnesses stung. The game ‘left a bad taste in our mouth’, said David Carle following the game,

Carle shuffled his starting lineups and power-play units. Quentin Miller started in net for the Pioneers at the Centene Community Ice Center. The Pioneers delivered a dominant performance and learned a valuable lesson – hockey is a game of skill and effort. It will take both for Denver to achieve their goals this season.

Denver started the game on fire. A Garrett Brown deflected ricochet caromed to Clarke Caswell for a quick strike Denver goal at 1:16. Denver kept pressing the Lions, dominating the first period but could not solve the Lions’ net minder Klayton Knapp. Denver killed off a Lions’ power-play near the end of the period to take a 1-0 lead into the break. DU led 20-8 shot-on-goal in the first 20 minutes.

Denver came out just as hot in the second frame as the Lions fell back on their heels. After buzzing the Lion’s net, DU failed to score on a 5-on-3 man advantage. The Pioneers Kristian Epperson got called for tripping as one of the penalties expired and the man-advantage was spoiled. As the period progressed, Knapp made save-after-save to keep the game at a tenuous one-goal margin. Finally, as the second period clock wound down, the puck flashed from Eric Pohlkamp to Hagen Burrows to Jake Fisher and into the Lions’ net, 2-0, with only seven seconds remaining.

Denver carried a 39-12 shots-on-goal advantage into the third period as the Pioneers shut down passing lanes, stifled odd man rushes, won faceoffs and played physical hockey.

Lindenwood finally came unraveled in the third period under relentless Denver pressure. Sam Harris scored the back-breaker at the midway mark on a feed from Eric Pohlkamp. Less than two minutes later, Samu Salminen added to the DU lead, 4-0 final.

Pioneer fans have seen this before. A young, skilled Pioneer team fell early in the season to an inferior opponent. David Carle, as in the past, will use this series as a teachable moment. Better now than later in the season when the stakes will be much higher.

Photo: Courtesy of Lindenwood University Athletics