Second-ranked Denver took care of business against its in-state rival on Saturday at Magness Arena, setting up an enticing showdown next weekend. In the process the Pioneers retained the Gold Pan for the third consecutive season and stretched their Division I-best unbeaten streak to 14 games with a 3-1 victory over Colorado College for the second night in a row.

The Pioneers overcame an early Tigers goal to seize a 2-1 lead after a dominant first period. Denver (11-2-3, 5-0-3-2 NCHC) outshot Colorado College, 18-5, in the period and controlled the puck for long stretches.

“I thought the first period was the best we’ve played offensively, all four lines, this year,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said.

CC (3-11, 1-5 NCHC) took a lead 5:32 into the game on Westin Michaud‘s one-timer, but Dylan Gambrell answered for the Pioneers just 25 seconds later.Will Butcher fed him a pass in the slot that Gambrell kicked up to the blade of his stick and fired past Alex Leclerc.

The Pioneers’ power play struck in the period’s final minute. Senior assistant captain Evan Janssen capped a beautiful tic-tac-toe play that was started by Michael Davies in the left circle, went to Colin Staub below the goal line and onto Janssen’s stick for a one-timer at the inside left hash mark.

“It was my first week of being on the power play, since I’ve been in Denver,” Janssen said. “Blake Hillman moved it down to me, and I kind of panicked. I moved it over to Michael Davies, and it wasn’t even near his stick and it went off the boards. Luckily he picked it up and turned around and he still had a lot of time. He moved it down to Colin Staub and I moved over the open area, and Staub knew exactly where I was going even before he got it and I just one-timed it.”

The 2-1 lead set the stage for a bizarre second period. After CC was assessed all four penalties in the first period, Denver was on the receiving end of seven of the nine called in the second, including two a minute apart on defensemen Butcher and Tariq Hammond. Down two of their top penalty killers, DU nonetheless withstood the resulting 5 on 3 disadvantage unscathed. The Pioneers went 6 for 6 on the kill overall.

“I thought No. 22 was the best player on the ice tonight, Logan O’Connor,” Montgomery said. “When we have 26 (Janssen) back, I throw them out there a lot. I thought that we blocked shots well. I thought Evan Cowley made a lot of key stops, and that’s what you need from your penalty kill.”

For good measure O’Connor scored a shorthanded goal with 8 seconds to go in the second period off a nice give and go with defenseman Adam Plant. O’Connor carried the puck into the zone on a 3-on-2 rush and dropped it for Plant who then returned it to O’Connor as he went to the net. O’Connor’s backhand move from in close beat Leclerc to make it 3-1.

“It was a great play,” Janssen said. “He came up with it in the corner and we had a lot of time. Both of their defensemen were back.

“Adam Plant joined the rush so we had a 3 on 2 and we ran a stack play, and Planter just moved it back to him, he drove the net and drove it wide and put it in.”

At the end of that sequence, referee Scott Bokal had to be assisted off the ice with what appeared to be a leg injury. He returned for the start of the third period.

The Pioneers victory sets up a juicy matchup next weekend between No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth and the No. 2 Pioneers.

“We have No. 1 coming into our barn next weekend. I hope it’s loud, I hope it’s sold out,” Montgomery said. “I they’re going to see great hockey. It’s the two best teams in the country going at each other.”

Different mask, same result

One night after Tanner Jaillet held the Tigers to one goal, Cowley (19 saves) performed the same feat in his second start of the season. His first came on opening weekend.

“He was phenomenal,” Janssen said. “It’s awesome to see that. A guy who hasn’t played that much this year but he’s worked hard in practice and he’s always ready to go. He proved that both last weekend when he came in at the end there (vs. Wisconsin) and made some exceptional saves, and he was solid all night tonight.”

Borgstrom update

Freshman center Henrik Borgstrom missed his second consecutive game because of the flu. His status for next weekend sounds as though it might be in question.

“We don’t know what it is. It’s just odd,” Montgomery said. “(He’s) not hospitbalized. He’s just drained. He’s lethargic. He’s sleeping a lot. I don’t know if it’s walking pneumonia like Trevor Moore had last year. It’s not good if he can’t play. The thing he loves most to do in life is play.”

Grade A ‘D’

One night after Hammond scored a goal, four other Pioneers blue liners hit the score sheet Saturday. Butcher, Davies, Hillman and Plant each had assists, and Butcher’s gave him 14 among his now team-high 17 points.