How do you take a team that favors a defensive posture out of its game?

Scoring four first-period goals isn’t a bad way to start, and that’s exactly what top-ranked Denver did in a 5-2 victory over No. 19 Western Michigan on Saturday afternoon at Cincinnati in the NCAA Midwest Regional.

Sophomore Colin Staub scored the first two DU goals on power plays and seniors Emil Romig and Will Butcher also tallied in the first for the Pioneers (30-7-4). DU, which will play No. 11 Penn State for a Frozen Four berth on Sunday afternoon (4 p.m. MDT, ESPNU/AM 1600), outshot the Huskies 34-18.

“I thought it was a great start by our group,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said. “You can tell, led by our seniors and juniors, that we have been here before with the way we were very aggressive to start the game.”

Staub’s first goal was a tip-in of a shot from defenseman Adam Plant, while his second came when he stuffed in a rebound of a shot by D-man Michael Davies.

“Goalies are so good at this level,” Plant said. “If there is no one in front, they are going to see it, they are going to make the save 10 out of 10 times. Having good sticks like Colin and (Evan Janssen), really our whole team, makes a difference.”

After freshman Tyson McLellan gave the Pioneers a 5-0 lead 6:26 into the second period, the Huskies got goals from Gavin Gould and Jake Lucchini in the period’s final six minutes.

DU went into lockdown mode in the third period, allow just five shots. It was the eighth game in a row the Pioneers allowed two or fewer goals.

Sunday’s game

The Pioneers will face Big Ten playoff champion Penn State for the first time on Sunday at 4 p.m. MDT (ESPNU/AM 1600). That’s not surprising given the Nittany Lions’ program has existed just five years.

Penn State set up the meeting with a stunning, 10-3 blowout of No. 8 Union later Saturday. Last weekend, the Nittany Lions won a play-in game, then knocked off the Big Ten’s top two seeds – Minnesota and Wisconsin – in double overtime on consecutive nights. The 10-goal outburst was the first in an NCAA Tournament since 1990 – which was DU coach Jim Montgomery’s freshman season at Maine.

Penn State averages the most shots on goal of any team in Division I and it likes to push the pace. Lace up the skates tightly on Sunday – it could be a track meet on ice.