No. 11 Denver provided an example of what it is capable of when fully engaged in every phase of its game on Friday night.

The Pioneers had scoring balance, tenacious defense and strong goaltending en route to a 4-1 NCHC victory over Miami at Magness Arena.

The triumph, sparked by goals from Carter Mazur, Massimo Rizzo, Carter Savoie and Brett Stapley and anchored by a stingy defense and Magnus Chrona‘s 24 saves, was the third in a row for Denver (7-4, 3-2 NCHC).

Miami (2-8-1, 1-4 NCHC) got a power-play goal from Dylan Moulton midway through the first period and 32 saves from Ludvig Persson.

Here are some observations from the victory.

The defense doesn’t rest

After two periods, Denver held a 29-13 shots on goal edge, and it had a totals shots margin of 54-19. Miami had just two shots under the face-off dots through 40 minutes.

The Pioneers were fast to the puck and quick to move it.

“Our gaps were good,” coach David Carle said. “Western (Michigan) pushed the pace and made us uncomfortable. We have a young defense and they’re adjusting to the level. Tonight they handled it better. That was a good development.

“We used our transition play to go back at them. Even the time we spent in our zone we had it figured it out.”

Most of that time came in the third period, the only one when Miami outshot the hosts (12-7). Denver finished with a 36-25 edge.

“We went to be hard to play against,” Pioneers assistant captain Justin Lee said. “We’re defense first and that leads to offense.”

It wasn’t a mirage, DU’s defense is making incremental improvements, Chrona said.

“Our one-on-one angling, especially on rush plays has been improving that the past few weeks,” he said. “I hope we can keep it up.”

Still, give the Red Hawks credit, they came out with fire in their belly for the final frame.

“I thought they came out hard,” Carle said. “The Stapley goal on the power play was a huge goal. That (second) unit scores two on the night. It was nice to see someone not named Brink, Savoie, Guttman or Mazur score a goal. That goal in the third really took the wind out of their sails.”

The Stapley strike, 7:47 in, came on freshman defenseman Shai Buium‘s second assist of the game.

Last line of defense stands out

Miami kept the pressure on, and that’s where Chrona came in. He made half of his saves in the final 20 minutes, and there were a couple of dandies through traffic to keep the Pioneers in control.

“He’s continuing to improve,” Carle said. “For me, this is five (games) in a row where he’s been solid and given us an opportunity to win a game. He tracked the puck well. He was very good in the third when he had more work.”

The junior’s play has bred confidence for the entire team, Lee said.

“He’s obviously a key player for us,” the junior said. “He was excellent again for us tonight.

“It’s nice knowing he’s back there and has got our backs.”

Denver breaks game open in second

The Pioneers took control during a second period in which they outscored the guests, 2-0, and outshot them 18-6 – numbers that don’t do justice to how well DU played. The Pioneers controlled the puck for at least three quarters of the 20 minutes, and it began to translate to the scoreboard.

Working their third power play of the game, Denver cashed in 5:37 into the period. Rizzo cashed in a rebound of Mike Benning‘s shot from the high slot to came out to Persson’s left. That gave the freshman seven goals.

Savoie scored his fifth goal in three games and team-high 11th overall when he knocked in a rebound on Persson’s left doorstep with 6:12 left. Captain Cole Guttman initiated the sequence when he wheeled in between the circles and launched a rocket at the Red Hawks goalie. It appeared to head to Bobby Brink, who was in the process of being knocked to the ice to Persson’s right. Brink poked it toward the net and Savoie was in position to pounce.

“We have a really deep team,” Lee said. “Everyone’s been able to contribute.”

Rizzo’s goal was the second of the game for the second line. Fellow freshman Mazur gave the Pioneers an early 1-0 lead when he circled with the puck from the left goal line, up around the circle and snapped a shot past Persson through traffic.

The Red Hawks, however, drew even on their only power play of the first two periods. Joe Cassetti won a face-off clean back and to the left to Moulton, and the sophomore fired it over Chrona’s glove 5 minutes after Mazur’s goal.

Notes: Denver went 2 for 5 on the power play, and killed off two of the Red Hawks’ three penalties. … The final game of the series is Saturday night at 6 p.m.

©First Line Editorial 2021