Hockey, Men's Sports

Pioneers Run Regulation Unbeaten Streak to 12 with 5-1 Win at St. Cloud

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The #6 Denver Pioneers (12-5-1, 8-1-0 NCHC) have yet to record a regulation loss in NCHC play and extended their regulation unbeaten streak to 12 – dating back to their overtime loss to Alaska Anchorage at Magness Arena on Halloween – thanks to their 5-1 drubbing of the St. Cloud State Huskies (7-10-0, 2-7-0 NCHC) on the “big ice” at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The Pioneers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back, coasting to the four-goal victory.

The game wasn’t as lopsided as the score made it appear. Denver was actually outshot 38-35, including a rare 16-8 deficit on the 2nd period shot board. But the Pioneers, who have struggled to finish at times this season, were the more opportunistic team at The Herb, scoring four times on their first 19 shots.

Rieger Lorenz and Clarke Caswell opened the scoring with goals in the first 10 minutes before Brady Milburn tallied his first career goal with under two and a half minutes left to extend the Pios’ opening-period lead to 3-0. Sam Harris was the lone goal-scorer in the second period after the Huskies pulled goalie Yan Shostak in favor of Patriks Berzins to open the second period, extending his point streak to nine games with his eighth goal of the season. Denver flipped the shots on goal script in the third, outshooting St. Cloud 16-8 but they traded goals with the Huskies as Tyson Gross pulled them back to within three about five minutes into the final period. Hagen Burrows ended any remote thought of a Husky miracle, though, roofing a one-timer from Reid Varkonyi past the halfway point of the third to seal the 5-1 victory.

Game two – the final game for both teams before the winter/holiday break – starts at 5:00pm MT tomorrow night and can, of course, be streamed on NCHC.tv.

Highlights

Top photo of Clarke Caswell courtesy of DU Athletics

5 thoughts on “Pioneers Run Regulation Unbeaten Streak to 12 with 5-1 Win at St. Cloud”

  3. The Pios came out on the front foot and were quite efficient on their scoring chances, and buried three on Shostak – a goalie with with an .886 saves percentage to get off to a great start, chasing Shostak to the showers.

    The Pios were outshot and out-face-offed on the night, but the Pio defense put up double-digit shot blocks and rode the outstanding goaltending of Miller to victory.

    As is normal in the NCHC, the Saturday game is always tougher to win – expect SCSU to be more physical and aggressive, and the Pios will to match the intensity. This will be a test of DU’s focus, especially with most players about to break for the holidays.

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