No. 1 Denver (14-4-4, 6-1-3) at No. 14 Western Michigan (10-5-3, 4-5-1)

When: Friday, 4:30 p.m. MST; Saturday, 5 p.m MST
Radio/TV: Friday, ASN, 1600 AM; Saturday, 1600 AM

Overview

The Pioneers routed Arizona State by a combined 11-2 margin last weekend. Sophomore Troy Terry returned from the World Junior Championships and put up a five-point night

Dylan Gambrell

Saturday, earning him the NCAA’s first star of the week and NCHC’s player of the week honors. Linemate Henrik Borgstrom had four goals among his six points vs. ASU and his 12 are tied for the most among freshmen in Division I. … Western Michigan was off last weekend and is always a tough out at home. … The teams played a hard-fought series at Magness Arena on Oct. 28-29, and DU won 3-1 and 4-2. Dylan Gambrell made a surprise return for that series after sustaining an upper-body injury on the season’s opening weekend. Gambrell, Evan Janssen and Will Butcher scored in the Friday game, and Borgstrom, Jarid Lukosevicius, Gambrell and Matt Marcinew tallied on Saturday. Butcher had three assists in the latter game.

Offense

The Broncos have the 15th best offense out of 60 Division I teams (3.33 goals per game). Chicago Blackhawks prospect Matheson Iacopelli leads the Broncos with 14 goals (sixth in the NCAA) and 19 points, and he scored a power-play marker in the second game at DU. Much of WMU’s offense comes through him and linemates Griffen Molino (12 points) and Sheldon Dries (11 points). Freshman Wade Allison, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, is 6-foot-2, 205 pounds and proved to be a load to handle. He has nine goals and 15 points. Senior defenseman Taylor Fleming has 13 assists. …

On Saturday, DU was at full strength for the first time since early November and it showed. Coach Jim Montgomery put Terry (22 points, 11 goals) with Borgstrom (22 points) and Gambrell (20 points), and the line accounted for 11 points. If Denver has another second-half offensive surge, bank on their 2.91 gpg average (32nd) going up a lot. Butcher has 19 points, and the second line of Lukosevicius (14, 8 goals), Marcinew (12, 6) and Kevin Conley will be counted on to provide secondary scoring.

Defense

WMU only allows 2.67 goals per game (20th), representing a massive improvement over last season. Sophomore Trevor Gorsuch (4-3-2, 3.06, .894) played well against DU, but freshman Ben Blacker is 5-0 and has better GAA (1.65) and save percentage numbers (.939). …

Goaltending and defense have been the backbone of DU’s success so far, so it follows that its average of 2 goals per game allowed would be third-best in D-I. Junior Tanner Jaillet (12-3-4, 1.99, .924) has been excellent and has allowed more than three goals just once and more than two only six times. He’s ninth in GAA and 11th in save percentage.

Special teams

WMU has a clear edge here, although it didn’t show in the teams’ first meeting this season. The Broncos have one of the nation’s better power plays (23.6 percent, seventh), and their penalty kill (83.2 percent, 31st) is near the D-I mean. … DU’s power play is up to 32nd (17.6 percent) but its penalty kill is surprisingly only 42nd (80.7 percent). He’s tied for fifth most wins.

Notable

Butcher, the Pioneers’ captain, was selected one of 15 finalists for the 2016-17 Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes senior ice hockey players who show excellence in community, classroom, character and competition. He is the only NCHC player on the list, and is joined by Air Force captain Johnny Hrabovsky.