DU hockey (11-5-1, 7-1-0 NCHC) and its fans knew this was going to be a challenging night. Sweeping this version of the #19 Miami RedHawks (10-6-0, 2-6-0 NCHC) was no easy task, and the 5-2 final score was not indicative of how hard-fought the game was on Saturday night. It was physical, ‘big boy’ hockey. This is the NCHC, and nearly every game is a mental and physical test – especially for this young Denver team.

Following a dominant performance Friday night, the Pioneers came out Saturday night on the front foot in the first period. However, it was a near certainty that the Miami Redhawks would put on a better show Saturday night following the 4-0 shellacking 24 hours earlier. Three minutes into the first period, Hagen Burrows got Denver on the board with a full-strength bullseye. Burrows started at the left boards and skated between the circles, and fired the puck past goaltender Matteo Drobac, 1-0. Denver continued to own the pace of play when, ten minutes later, a Miami offensive zone drop pass and a wrister from the RedHawks’ leading scorer Matteo Giampa beat Quentin Miller, 1-1. While the period was even on shots-on-goal, 10 each, DU was the more dangerous team.

Denver got some good scoring chances early in the second period. Finally, five minutes into the period, skating 4-on-4, DU freshman defenseman Eric Jamieson took a cross-ice pass from James Reeder. Jamieson sent a high slap shot over the right shoulder of Drobac, 2-1. Miller stopped a dangerous scoring opportunity for Denver as the Redhawks went on the power play midway through the period. Denver was solid on the penalty kill, but Miami struck again. As penalty time expired, there was a scramble and a strange bounce off the boards and ricochet to the left of Miller. The Redhawks Maximillian Helgeson seized the moment and tucked the puck into the Denver cage, 2-2. The play of the game occurred with three-and-a-half minutes left in the period. Denver scored a short-handed, unassisted goal by freshman forward Brendan McMorrow. McMorrow picked the pocket of a Redhawks player at mid-ice. He skated into the RedHawks’ end, did a spin-o-rama to avoid three defenders, and launched a seeing-eye puck past Drobac, 3-2. McMorrow’s goal would prove to be the game-winner.

Two minutes into the final period, Denver went on the PP when Kyle Chyzowski was tackled by Doug Grimes of Miami as the physical play ramped up. Denver could not score with the man advantage, but following the end of the penalty, Grimes was called for unsportsmanlike conduct again. Ironically, Chyzowski scored on a backdoor snipe – but it was taken off the boards with a goalie interference call (Denver slid to 0-4 on the powerplay). With under eight minutes to go, McMorrow scored again, this time at full strength, in traffic. That goal, too, was disallowed. Both non-goal calls were correct. DU finally scored on the power play (1/5 on the night) at 3:40 when Chyzowski received the puck from Boston Buckburger in traffic. Chyzowski chipped the puck off a Miami defender, and the puck caromed into the goal, 4-2. Sam Harris put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter, 5-2.

It’s always great to get a sweep, especially in the NCHC. Denver is young this season, but gaining valuable experience and confidence in games like this. Next up is another challenging series at St. Cloud State, which was swept at home this weekend by North Dakota, to close out the 2025 portion of the season.