The eight-game unbeaten streak is over as the University of Denver hockey team got a reminder of just how tough NCHC road games are Friday night in Oxford, Ohio, falling to Miami, 3-1.

The victory was the fourth in a row for the RedHawks, who outshot (30-21), outhit and out hustled the Pioneers (12-8-5, 8-5-2 NCHC).

“Miami played really desperate, we didn’t play desperate enough,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said.

The RedHawks pressured the Pioneers constantly with a strong forecheck, and DU regularly struggled getting the puck out of its zone as a result.

“Miami was on top of us all game, their sticks were really good,” Montgomery told AM 1600’s Jay Stickney after the game. “They were much more physical on the forecheck, they were relentless.”

Down 2-1 late in the second period, the Pioneers had a golden opportunity to tie the score when Miami captain Sean Kuraly took a double-minor for a hit on DU counterpart Grant Arnold. The final three minutes of the penalties extended into the third period. Despite at least four shots a couple of good chances, DU could not convert.

“It was really important,” Montgomery said. “You have to expect your best players to make plays to tie the game up. 2-2 with 18 minutes left you have grind out a win on the road.

Staying hot: Sophomore Danton Heinen scored his team-high 10th goal and fifth since the Christmas break. The tally gave him seven points in his past six games. Freshman line mate Dylan Gambrell set up the play by forcing a Miami turnover in the RedHawks zone, which freshman Troy Terry retrieved and worked a nice 2-on-1 with Heinen.

Gambrell also continued his hot play in 2016, getting a point for the eighth time in nine games and his 13th point overall in that stretch. He has a team-high 25 points.

No change in net: Montgomery opted to stay with Evan Cowley in net after the junior’s stellar weekend against Minnesota-Duluth.

Cowley relieved Tanner Jaillet early in the first game against the Bulldogs and made 73 saves and allowed just one goal in nearly 114 minutes, including a scoreless streak of 106:40.

Friday, Cowley made 27 saves, and while the first goal he allowed, a wraparound by Anthony Louis, seemed preventable, he was sharp most of the game.

“It was a tough night because we were in our end all night,” Montgomery said. “I thought Evan played really well. He got us a lot of important whistles. He did a great job and is continuing to play really well.”

The coach seems content to ride the hot hand, and Cowley wasn’t the reason DU lost.

Slow burn: Montgomery wasn’t at all happy with the effort of his skaters, and the third member of the top line, junior Trevor Moore, was called out by the coach afterward.

“I think Trevor Moore needs to be a lot better for us. Pucks were bouncing over him,” the coach said. “Everyone who is on the power play needs to play better.”

Path blocked: Another stat that stood out, and no doubt contributed to Montgomery’s frustration was Miami blocked 24 shots to DU’s six. Blocked shots often are a matter of positioning, effort and sacrifice by the defense, and at times unwise decisions by the offense.

For as well as the Pioneers have played in 2016, this wasn’t the first time such a disparity has existed. In fact, it’s more common than you might believe. It marked the fifth time in the past nine games DU’s opponent held a wide margin in that category.

Western Michigan held 21-11 and 23-12 advantages, while Notre Dame held 23-10 edges in both of its ties with DU despite the Pioneers coming out with massive shots on goal advantages.

@MagnessMayhem