Evan Janssen and No. 1 Denver are headed to the NCHC’s final four in Minneapolis next weekend. Photo courtesy of Shannon Valerio, DU Athletics

Two weeks ago top-ranked Denver held senior night. Saturday, the Pioneers celebrated sophomore night, and in the process punched their ticket back to Minneapolis for the NCHC’s final four.

Denver defeated Colorado College, 4-0, for its 14th consecutive victory over the Tigers and its 13th win in a row overall. The win streak against CC matches the second longest in the rivalry’s history.

Sophomore Logan O’Connor scored two second-period goals 5:21 apart and fellow second-year player Troy Terry scored on a power-play rush 18 seconds into the third period to leave little doubt about the outcome. For good measure, Terry scored on a shorthanded rush with 8:10 to play to make it 4-0. The two goals gave Terry four on the weekend and 19 overall.

“Everyone wants to have a two-goal night but I was just fortunate to get a couple by there,” O’Connor said. “(Our line) relished our role a lot. We were getting pucks deep and doing simple things that our line thrives off of. We had all lines going tonight.

“Tyson (McLellan, who assisted on both of O’Connor’s goals, and) I played a lot together so we’ve definitely gotten comfortable in the zone. Ritter’s (Evan Ritt) come on our line the last few weeks and we’ve found great chemistry so that’s obviously.

Evan Cowley, starting in place of Tanner Jaillet, who fell ill Saturday, made 17 saves and picked up an assist on Terry’s first goal. Getting one more start at Magness Arena, and getting his second shutout in a row, meant plenty to the senior.

“It’s unbelievable. Words can’t describe the emotions the seniors have for this group of guys. It’s a privilege to go out this way,” said Cowley, who grew up in Evergreen. “Growing up in Colorado you experience the rivalry, everything that it entails, everything it means to the alums, means to the school. It’s fun to play them in the playoffs.”

Cowley’s performance was illustrative of why the Pioneers have had the success they’ve had.

“It just shows the incredible depth,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said. “That’s why we’re 28-6-4. We’ve got depth at every position.”

That includes at forward.

“It’s two weekends in a row when on paper our third and fourth lines have really energized us and carried us. Not only with their energy, which they always do, but offensively,” the coach added.

The Pioneers could have led by more had Alex Leclerc not been on his game early and gotten some help from the goalie’s best friend. Late in the first Dylan Gambrell hit the cross bar after taking a pass in the slot from O’Connor. Cowley then came up with one of his best saves after CC countered seconds later.

On a DU power play early in the second, Leclerc stretched out to make a spectacular pad save on Henrik Borgstrom, and seconds later Jarid Lukosevicius hit the cross bar on backhand as the penalty expired.

The Pioneers, who held CC to five goals total in six games this season, will face either North Dakota or Omaha, if it defeats Western Michigan on Sunday, at Minneapolis.

Suffice to say DU’s celebration will be a short one.

“The only thing that maybe concerns me is I don’t think we’ve had the toughest schedule over the past month,” Montgomery said. “We haven’t played against a team that’s going to push right back at us, hem us in our own end, having to play real good defense when you’re tired. We’re going to face that next weekend. That’s why I’m excited about next weekend.”