Friday’s game at Magness Arena had a little bit of everything for fans of No. 5 Denver.

Not the least of it was plenty of goals, great goaltending and a couple of career milestones.

Freshman Ian Mitchell had a four-point night (doubling the two he had against North Dakota earlier this season), Jarid Lukosevicius scored two goals in his 100th game, Tanner Jaillet had his third shutout of the season and sophomore defenseman Erich Fear hammered home his first career NCAA goal in a 5-0 rout of No. 15 Omaha that could have been worse had not Evan Weninger stopped 43 shots.

Mitchell was Exhibit A in the Pioneers’ attempts to put more pucks on net.

“We definitely wanted to try to expose their back end and get a lot of pucks to the net,” Mitchell said. “I think we got a lot of goals in the blue paint so it’s something we can build on and get a streak going.”

Three of DU’s goals came in the third period, and a potential fourth – by Colin Staub – was overruled by an offsides challenge by Omaha (12-10-1, 5-8 NCHC). But no matter, Troy Terry quickly gave DU (13-6-4, 7-4-2-1 NCHC) the momentum right back when he went for the cookie jar on Weninger’s top shelf 4:17 in to make it 3-0. Dylan Gambrell found Terry at the right dot with a pinpoint cross-zone pass. Henrik Borgstrom had two of his three assists in the third.

“I think it’s been coming,” Montgomery said of Borgstrom, Gambrell and Terry finding the scoresheet. “When they’re playing the right way they’re too talented not to produce. Hopefully we just continue and they keep leading.”

The Pioneers really asserted themselves in the second period, when they doubled their margin to 2-0.

Seconds after the Pioneers killed off their second penalty, Mitchell gave them that lead 2:42 into the period. Rudy Junda got the puck to Gambrell in the neutral zone, Gambrell carried into the Omaha zone and dropped a pass for Mitchell just inside the line. The freshman speed from left to right through both circles then shot back against the grain to beat Weninger to the goaltender’s right.

“He’s doing things naturally now. He has an impact every shift,” Montgomery said of Mitchell. “He doesn’t try to manufacture something every shift like maybe he did earlier in the year. He’s just managing the game.”

Jaillett, who shut out Omaha for the fourth time in his career, was superlative after that second goal, twice stopping point-blank shots, including on Mavericks leading scorer David Pope around the 7-minute mark.

“They’re momentum saves,” Montgomery said. “Instead of them getting any momentum, it’s like ‘Oh god, their goalie is on.’ And then we’re going the other way and extend the lead instead of being in a tight game.”

The senior said there is no secret to his recent stretch in which he has allowed zero or one goals seven times since the start of December.

“I’ve tried to simplify a little bit and focus on some details,” Jaillet said. “Our team’s been more committed to the D zone, and that’s making a huge difference. I’ve got to give them a lot of credit and our D is coming together nicely.”

Lukosevicius gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead on their 15th shot with 1:15 to play in the first when he redirected Mitchell’s blast from the top of the left circle past Weninger. Borgstrom initiated the play, which came 50 seconds into DU’s second power play, by controlling the puck along the left wall, spinning to the outside and finding Mitchell wide open. The freshman wasted no time firing away.

Lukosevicius’ second goal, 6:35 into the third, was much easier, and like his first it came on the power play, which the Pioneers went 3 for 5 on overall. Borgstrom made a nice pass from the right dot to Lukosevicius on the left doorstep, and the junior lifted the puck over Weninger, who had no chance to slide across and make the save. It gave Lukosevicius back-to-back two-goal games.

“One of our goals tonight was to win net-front battles and special teams, and we did both tonight,” Lukosevicius said.

With 7:23 remaining, Fear got all of a blast from just inside the blue line that Weninger likely never saw.

Notable

The Pioneers won this war by winning most of the significant battles, starting with special teams (3 for 5 on the power play and 4 for 4 on the penalty kill) and continuing with face-offs (36 of 65, or 55.3 percent). … Sophomore forward Tyson McLellan (shoulder) and freshman defenseman Griffin Mendel (upper body) remained out of the lineup. Montgomery said after the game that McLellan is a month or more away from returning.

The Century Club

Lukosevicius became the fourth Pioneer to play his 100th game this season when he reached that milestone Friday. Earlier this season, captain Tariq Hammond, Blake Hillman and Gambrell reached the mark.

“I thought Troy’s was tomorrow,” Lukosevicius said. “I didn’t even know my hundredth game was today so it was pretty cool I beat the American Hero Troy Terry.”

Terry and Staub are on track to hit the mark Saturday against Omaha.

Honoring Petey

Denver honored Peter “Petey” Naffah in a ceremony before the game. Montgomery presented Petey’s mom with a Grant Arnold jersey. Arnold was Petey’s favorite Pioneer. Petey played a crucial role for the Pioneers for the past four years before his passing in late December.

“When Stauby was doing our little thing around the net (before the game) he was saying, ‘Do this for Petey,’” Mitchell said. “It was definitely nice to get the win for Petey because we miss him a lot.”

Added Lukosevicius, “Petey’s such a special guy. He’ll never be forgotten. It was very emotional. We did that one for him tonight.”

Click here to learn more about this amazing young man.

The school will host a memorial service on Jan. 31 at 3 p.m.

Denver’s three stars

1. Ian Mitchell. Freshman D piles up a career-best four points.
2. Tanner Jaillet. He was tested more than it might have seemed, stopping 34 shots, including some biggies on odd-man rushes, for the shutout.
3. Jarid Lukosevicius. The junior struck twice, giving him 12 goals, including six in the past five games.

Up next

The teams play again Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Magness Arena.