Observations after Denver’s 3-0 NCHC victory at Nebraska-Omaha on Friday.

Road killers: The recipe for winning on the road? Great goaltending, keep things simple and have your best players play like your best players.

Mission accomplished for the No. 17 Pioneers, who first and foremost got spectacular goaltending from sophomore Tanner Jaillet in beating the No. 6 Mavericks and in the process handing them their first loss at newly opened Baxter Arena.

Jaillet was on his angles all night, stopping all 35 UNO shots. It was his second shutout of the season.

“He looked so calm and poised. What people don’t realize how good he is handling the puck,” coach Jim Montgomery told AM 1600’s Jay Stickney after the game.

Defenseman Will Butcher scored once each in the first and second periods. The pair of goals gave him five, tying Dylan Gambrell for the team lead. Both also have a team-high 16 points, with Trevor Moore two points back.

Butcher and freshman defenseman Blake Hillman scored 19 seconds apart roughly four minutes into the first period to stake DU to a 2-0. The goal was the first of Hillman’s NCAA career. The DU lead wasn’t a good omen for the Mavericks, who have not won this season when an opponent scores first.

“It’s really important. We know UNO was a great first-period team,” Montgomery told Nebraska Public Television after the second period. “We knew we had to be on our toes.”

The Pioneers (8-7-4) also caught a break when red-hot Omaha freshman Evan Weninger left with an injury after allowing two goals on the first three shots he faced.

Butcher tallied again in the second against backup Kirk Thompson.

“I felt our senior class was instrumental tonight,” Montgomery said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen Q (Quentin) Shore play with more intensity, winning every battle, same with Gabe Levin. And Grant Arnold blocked some big shots.

“And I liked how Nolan Zajac and Will Butcher led us from the back end.”

Arnold returned to the game shortly after blocking a shot with his midsection during a UNO power play early in the third period.

Streaking: Moore and Gambrell continued their point streaks in the new year, each assisting on a goal. Both have four points in the past three games. Linemate Danton Heinen also had an assist.

By the numbers: This was the Pioneers’ first victory over a top-10 team this season, and their first victory overall since Nov. 21. It also was their win against a ranked opponent since defeating Minnesota-Duluth on Nov. 13. … UNO had not been shut out this season. … The Pioneers will be going for their first sweep in just more than two months, since toppling Colorado College on Nov. 6-7. … After generating more than 100 shots on goal last weekend, the Pioneers had just 19 Friday. However, they were stronger in the circle (31-29) and blocked more shots (22-14).

Playing with fire: The Pioneers didn’t help their cause by taking six penalties. However, they killed all six off, including the final one when Omaha pulled its goalie with 4:40 left in the game. Meanwhile, DU’s power play was blanked in four chances, leaving it 1 for 14 in the new year.

Two of three update: I advanced the idea in my midseason analysis that DU needed to win two out of every three games the rest of the way in order to approach (or hit) 20 regular-season wins. We are three games in and DU is 1-0-2.

@MagnessMayhem