No. 7 Denver has implemented a solid strategy for winning road games.

No. 1 – score first, and do it during the first  period.

No. 2 – win the special teams battle.

No. 3 – get great goaltending, preferably allow one or fewer goals.

The Pioneers did all three on Saturday night in a 4-1 victory over host UMass.-Lowell. The win marked DU’s third road win in a row, and in each of them they’ve accomplished Nos. 1 and 3 and for the second time in two nights they also fulfilled No. 2.

Senior Jarid Lukosevicius scored twice on the power play in the first 5:23 of the third period to break the game open, and freshman Filip Larsson won his second consecutive Saturday night start by allowing just one goal.

Freshman Cole Guttman gave Denver (10-4-2) the lead with 2:51 to play in a first period in which the Pioneers were outshot 9-6. Guttman’s eighth goal came off a pass from fellow freshman Emilio Pettersen.

“”It was an uncharacteristic start for our group,” DU coach David Carle said. “For whatever reason we needed to take a couple punches to the nose to get woken up tonight. … After the 10-minute mark we got our legs going, started pressuring pucks, possessing pucks, simplified our game more and it led to some offensive opportunities. I think that helped us build some momentum.”

Finishing move

After a second period in which the teams combined for just seven shots, business picked up in the third.

Consecutive slashing penalties to the Riverhawks’ Conor Sodergren early in the third led to consecutive Lukosevicius goals. The first one came with help from linemates Pettersen and Guttman, while the second was unassisted. That gave the top line a six-point night.

Lowell (8-8-1) got one back with 7:21 to play on Seth Barton’s power-play goal, ending a string of 12 consecutive penalty kills by the Pioneers. But sophomore Ryan Barrow scored for the second time in two games to give DU its final margin.

Denver’s three stars

1. Jarid Lukosevicius. The senior’s two power-play goals – his team-high 10th and 11th of the season – in a span of 2:04 cemented the victory.
2. Filip Larsson. The freshman got his third Saturday start in a row and won while allowing just one goal for the second consecutive time.
3. Cole Guttman. The freshman scored his eighth and helped on Lukosevicius’ game winner.

Up next

The Pioneers travel to Wisconsin for a non-conference series against a former WCHA rival on Friday and Saturday. Both games face off at 6 p.m. MST.

©First Line Editorial 2017-18