No. 6 Denver (18-8-4, 10-8-2-2 NCHC) at Omaha (9-19-2, 5-14-1-1)

6:07 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Omaha

Radio / TV: 104.3 FM / NCHC.tv

Series: Denver leads 29-9-2; DU won two one-goal games in January at Magness Arena

What’s at stake

The Pioneers have helped themselves in pursuit of a top-four finish in the NCHC and its accompanying home quarterfinal series with a win over Miami (5-2) on Saturday and another at Colorado College (1-0) on Tuesday. They’re just one point out of third place and three out of second, so another sweep of Omaha, which they’ve defeated 14 times in a row, could help them climb further in the standings. A sweep also would give them their 18th consecutive season with 20 or more wins. … The Mavericks are on the other side of that coin, trying to avoid losing 20 or more games and trying not to finish last and make a trip to No. 1 St. Cloud State in the quarterfinals.

Three keys for Denver

1. Heads on a swivel and sticks on the ice – A bigger, more veteran Omaha team made little secret of its strategy in the first meetings between the teams – the Mavericks wanted to hit the Pioneers at every turn and slow the game down. DU knows it’s coming and shouldn’t retaliate. Omaha’s power play is one of its strengths.
2. Push the pace – Denver mounted excellent pressure against CC and kept a more skilled team than Omaha on its heels for the better part of two periods. Generating chances wasn’t the problem, finishing them was.
3. Protect this house – Yes, Devin Cooley was strong in getting his fourth shutout of the season, but DU’s defense collectively did a great job keeping the Tigers on the outside. It might have been the Pioneers’ best defensive performance of the season. That is how this DU team plays when it’s at its best.

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