DU hockey (5-2-1) wrapped up its opening NCHC regular season series Saturday night against Omaha, completing a sweep. Ironically, it was a power-play goal from Denver, after going 0-4 with the extra man, that cemented the game. Daxon Rudolph buried the insurance goal, 3-1, allowing DU some breathing room down the stretch in a tightly fought contest. Johnny Hicks did all the rest in the 4-1 victory.

In the first period, DU power-play goblins surfaced again as Denver went 0-4 on with the extra man while Omaha delivered  one goal in two man-advantage tries to take a 1-0 lead. A tight back-check, solid goaltending and penalty killing put Denver in a first period hole.

Early in the first period, Denver went on the power play but could not generate a goal. It was tight defense by Omaha and careless puck handing that kept the Pioneers off the board. At 9:19,  Omaha was called for a slash but Denver could not solve Omaha goaltender William Lacelle. At 11:13, DU’s Kristian Epperson was called for a trip. Omaha followed with a redirect goal from Luke Woodworth, 1-0 (12:10), Omaha. Thirty seconds later, the Mavs were called for a holding penalty but, yet again, DU could not create meaningful chances. Two minutes later, Omaha got a bench minor, their fourth penalty of the period, for too many men on the ice. Again, no goals for Denver and nary a chance. Kieran Cebrian got called for boarding call in the final minute of the period and DU carried a 1-0 deficit into the locker room.

Early in the second period, DU’s Kyle Chyzowski skated into the crease, deeked right, skated left and deposited the puck into the corner of the cage, 1-1 (2:00). The pace picked up as both teams created offense in end-to-end action. At the midway mark, Cebrian got called for slashing. While Omaha peppered Hicks the teams stayed knotted. Finally, DU’s Ryan Miller caught a rebound off William Lacelle on a long range wrister from near the blue line from Ryan Lin.  Miller gathered the rebound and shoveled the puck into the cage, 2-1 (13:27). Omaha created scoring opportunities down the stretch but Johnny Hicks held the Mavs at bay. DU led the period in shots-on-goal, 12-9.

It was the Johnny Hicks show early in the third period. At the midway mark of the period, DU absorbed two penalties by Max Heise  (hooking) and Ben MacBeth (tripping) but the Mavs came up empty handed. Denver finally got their chance with the man advantage, their 5th of the night. DU scored on a seeing-eye wrister by Daxon Rudolph under the right crossbar, 3-1(13:34), Denver. The power play goal solved DU’s man advantage drought and broke Omaha’s season-long penalty kill streak (20). Omaha pulled Lacelle at 17:40. The Mavs created some pressure on the Denver defense and Hicks but Kristian Epperson scored his second goal of the game to finish off the visitors, 4-1 (19:52). A melee broke out at the end of the game as a frustrated Omaha side tried to win the scrum. The handshake line was skipped which, all thing considered, was a great idea. 

Next up for Denver is a road trip to Tempe to face Arizona State.