Recap: Denver ties school record with ninth consecutive win

The Denver Pioneers tie a record set by the 2001-02 team.

Denver, CO — The University of Denver Pioneers looked to win their ninth straight game to start the season in tonight’s meeting against the Lindenwood Lions. The two-game series this weekend is part of the 75th anniversary celebration of Denver’s hockey program which has won 10 National Championships, more than any other school. The two games will also wrap up non-conference play for the Pioneers with a difficult NCHC schedule ahead for the rest of the season.

First Period

Lindenwood showed some true grit in the first frame of the game by frustrating the Pioneers quite a bit. The Lions may be a small team, but they were fast and scrappy. They will to compete for the puck in the corners and clog the shooting lanes. Two roughing penalties in the first period alone showed the Pioneers’ frustration. And finally, when the Lions tripped up a player and headed to the box themselves, they stuck to their plan. The Pios worked the perimeter on the power play without much success and the period ended in a scoreless tie.

Second Period

Denver started with a little more fire than they did in the opening frame. They had a mission. It was to break through, and they certainly did. With 14:24 left in the second, Alex Weirmair carried the puck out of the Pioneer zone. He sent a pass up to Eric Pohlkamp (SJS) who ripped it to the left of the cage. Jared Wright (LAK) gathered the rebound off the boards and shot the puck past a diving Owen Bartoszkiewicz for a 1–0 lead.

It would not take long for the Pioneers to add to their first tally. Shawn Ramsey would trip up a Denver player in the corner and sent a powerful Denver power play unit on the ice. Denver worked on the perimeter and tested for some soft spots in Lindenwood’s penalty kill. The Pioneers grabbed a few shots, and the puck worked back up to Pohlkamp on the left point. He tossed it to Samu Salminen (NJD) who ripped one to the net. Sam Harris (MTL) was laying in wait for the rebound and stuffed it in for a 2–0 lead.

The Pios won the faceoff in the Lions’ zone with 7:44 left in the second period. It became a game of keep away with Boston Buckberger and Pohlkamp. A shot Buckberger would bounce into the far corner and Pohlkamp retrieved the loose puck for another shot. James Reeder (LAK) waited right in front of the crease with his stick planted firmly on the ice, waiting for the pass. Pohlkamp sent it Reeder’s way, and the Pios took a 3–0 lead.

Third Period

The Lions may have beaten, but that did not mean they were giving up. Only a couple of minutes into the third period, Cale Ashcroft attempted a zone exit that was intercepted by Mitch Allard. The centerman ran the puck into the Pioneer zone and centered a pass up to Brody Mortensen. The winger lost control, drawing him to the right side, and he threw it to the front for Tyler Loughman to shoot past Matt Davis.

The last goal of the game came for Denver on the power play with 8:07 left in regulation. The Pioneers worked on the perimeter once again while they waited for a soft spot in the coverage. Aiden Thompson (CHI) snapped a shot that hit teammate Carter King. The captain spun and shot into the feet of a crowd where Rieger Lorenz (MIN) snapped the shot in for the 4–1 lead and final score.

Takeaways

This may have been a dominant performance for Denver against a building program, but Lindenwood did not treat it that way at all. They came to win a hockey game, and that was apparent by the way the first period went. Denver took control and did not let the frustration get to them to turn the game around in the second period, however. They have now won nine straight games to start the season, tying a school record set in 2001–02. Denver has held the number one position in all the polls all season so far with conference play rapidly approaching. The Pioneers have momentum swinging their way and they will be a tough team to stop this season.

Upcoming

The Pioneers will take on the Lindenwood Lions in game two of the series on Saturday at Magness Arena in Denver at 7 p.m. The game will be available only on NCHCtv.