If any DU fan were being honest with themselves, they would have picked last night’s matchup against #9 Boston College if they were asked which single game they’d prefer the #7 Denver Pioneers (3-2-1) win this weekend. Unfortunately, that hypothetical scenario became reality in game two as DU couldn’t solve the Northeastern Huskies’ (3-1-0) goalie Lawton Zacher despite peppering him with 35 shots. The Huskies got a goal from freshman Amine Hajibi early in the second period, and it was the only offense either team could muster in the Pioneers’ final appearance at historic Matthews Arena, which is being demolished this Winter.
For a program as proud as Denver is, all that matters is the result, and the Pioneers didn’t get the job done tonight. Full stop.
But!
Look, Denver’s ‘proscess’ was sound all weekend long. It equated to a 7-3 victory over Boston College last night and, unfortunately, it also equated to a 1-0 loss to Northeastern. Sometimes, as the kids say, ‘it do be like that.’ You can trust the proscess all you want, but no one can predict when you’re going to run into a hot goalie. Just ask 2023-24 Boston College and Cutter Gauthier.
The Pioneers outshot the Huskies 35-14, spent the vast majority of the evening in the offensive zone, and kept most NU chances to the outside. In the rare event that a Husky did get inside DU’s defensive structure, freshman goalie Quentin Miller was there to make the save every single time…except for that one.
Denver had their chances tonight and even appeared to have Zacher beaten in the third, but the puck didn’t quite fully cross the goal line. It was pretty clear at that point that everything was going to come up roses for him. If you need even further evidence that tonight was Zacher’s night, Denver had the exact look they wanted to tie the game with two seconds left on a rebound, but the puck bounced just over the Pioneers’ sticks.
If you zoom out, though, and look at this weekend as a whole, it’s impossible to feel like the Pioneers didn’t take a step forward. They routed a fellow contender in BC, and wholly outplayed Northeastern in their toughest nonconference weekend of the year. Eventually, the results will match the proscess.
Last weekend’s split at Lindenwood is officially in the rearview mirror, and the Pioneers have a chance to get their first weekend sweep of the year next weekend when they finally return home to host Alaska Anchorage.
Top photo courtesy of Denver Athletics
We have 8 freshmen. The learning curve is steep for first year players. This team will continue to improve through the year.
March playoff time is lurking six months away.
Snake bit.
I was there in Matthews Arena. The Pios played super well — perhaps better than they played against BC, but were stymied by an epic performance by Zacher, the NU goalie.
DU needs better finishing consistency, but that will come. Very encouraged but what I saw this weekend. Solid DU fan turnout – about 100 fans each night in Boston….