An NCHC weekend that could have travelled completely off the rails was rescued by one of No. 3 Denver’s strengths on Saturday night at Omaha.

The host Mavericks, who have played with an edge vs. the Pioneers in all four meetings this season, suffered a third-period meltdown, and DU’s lethal power play made them pay in a 5-2 victory that was powered by four third-period goals.

One night after absorbing a 5-1 body blow, DU (23-8-1, 16-6 NCHC) righted the road ship for a night by capitalizing on over-aggressiveness by Omaha (20-14, 10-12).

Down 2-0 late in the second period, and yes, one of the Mavericks markers was a power-play goal against Matt Davis (20 saves), Denver rattled off the next five goals against fellow backup goalie Austin Roden (28 saves).

Brett Stapley cut the deficit in half with just 2:50 to play in the second, and the power play took it from there.

Nolan Sullivan‘s holding penalty 8:16 into the third set DU up to tie it, and Carter Savoie did just that, off a feed from childhood pal Mike Benning. The strike was Savoie’s 18th.

Then, Omaha’s Jimmy Glynn hit a DU player from behind with 6 minutes remaining in the game and the Pioneers already on a power play.

Benning scored what proved to be the winner during the two-man advantage with 4:49 to play, then added an empty-netter with 49 seconds left. That gave the defenseman 13 goals. In between, grad transfer Cameron Wright did what he’s done all season, score. Wright’s team-high 19th goal also came on Glynn’s penalty.

Game, set, match.

Denver clinched at least second place in the NCHC and trails North Dakota by four points. The Pioneers will play either Colorado College, which was swept by St. Cloud State or Miami, which shut out Duluth on Saturday, in the NCHC quarterfinals in two weeks at Magness Arena.

©First Line Editorial 2022