There was plenty to like about the first half of No. 6 Denver’s season. Much of the optimism around the Pioneers centers on a couple of key improvements.

DU has played 18 games and has 16 more remaining, so this is a good of a time to take a closer look at the Pioneers’ first half, particularly in light of some preseason questions.

First period

Could Denver score enough goals to compete for an NCAA postseason spot? It seems ridiculous to ask that now, but entering this season the Pioneers were coming off an NCAA Tournament-less campaign in which they scored just 67 goals in 24 games, not even three per.

It was mentioned as a concern by a handful of players entering this season.

So much for that concern. Not only does DU have 84 goals in 18 games, but their 4.7 goals per game leads Division I. The Pioneers also are burying a very good 12.5 percent of their shots, the fifth best rate in the nation. And they’re putting an average of 37.4 percent of their chances on goal, second only to Penn State.

The other impressive part of the offensive eruption is how balanced their lineup is.

The first line of Cole Guttman and wings Bobby Brink and Carter Savoie has combined for 68 points. The second line of freshmen Carter Mazur and Massimo Rizzo with grad transfer Cameron Wright has 55. Line No. 3 of Brett Stapley flanked by Ryan Barrow and Jack Devine has 46. That is pretty much how most coaches would draw it up.

The usual top six defensemen have combined for 58 points.

That is balance.

Second period

Coach David Carle said the sophomore class needed to follow up a strong freshman season by being even better this year.

This has been mixed. Savoie has 12 goals and 22 points through 16 games, and defenseman Mike Benning has career highs of eight goals and 16 points already. Two others I expected to break through – center McKade Webster and defenseman Antti Tuomisto (six points apiece) really haven’t yet. Both also have taken a seat at various times, and both, particularly Webster, have played better of late.

The coach also was bullish on his freshman class … as well he should have been. The group has combined for 79 points – the most of any class – and could have four or five 20-point scorers and two players (Rizzo and Mazur) who should surpass 30 and 15 goals given how consistent they’ve been.

Devine has caught fire of late, and defensemen Sean Behrens and Shai Buium are power-play fixtures who’ve combined for 22 points. Behrens is a tenacious player, while Buium is expert at using his large frame to protect the puck while transporting it around the ice. In short, the class has exceeded anyone’s wildest dreams.

Not to be forgotten is the senior class, which has 76 points, headed by Stapley’s 22 and Guttman’s 20. Stapley already has a career-high eight goals, and has combined with Devine and classmate Barrow (11 points) to form a potent, versatile third line.

The real revelation, however, has been Wright. He came with a scoring pedigree from Bowling Green, and he’s lived up to it with 10 goals, second only to Savoie. Denver has had high hopes for transfers in recent years and they largely did not pan out. However, Wright has fit in seamlessly on the scoresheet and holds an important role as a mentor off the ice.

Third period

The net is Magnus Chrona‘s come hell or high water. He’s started 16 of 18 games, including the past 14.

He has been subject to some wild swings in his play. Some of that likely is due to the fact the towering junior doesn’t see a lot of shots (fewer than 25 per game), but there have been times the Pioneers have needed him to be better.

During a stretch of three early-season losses on the road to ranked teams he allowed 11 goals. He bounced back in a big way and spearheaded DU’s seven-game win streak, allowing just 10 goals in the process, including a shutout at Minnesota Duluth. Since then he’s given up 11 in the past three starts.

He thrives on playing a lot, and in back-to-back weeks, so I wonder if the unexpected break due to a postponed trip to Omaha this weekend will help or hurt given a mixed performance in Saturday’s 4-4 tie with Fairbanks. However, when he’s on his game that he is an excellent goaltender capable of backstopping a championship-caliber team.

Next

We’ll take a look at their prospects for the second half and beyond, and the way they have played most weekends there should be a “beyond”.

©First Line Editorial 2022