No. 4 Denver (2-2) vs. No. 9 Providence (3-0)

Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. at Magness Arena

Streaming / Radio: NCHC.tv / 104.3 FM

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Look to the rafters on Saturday. That’s when DU will raise its 2022 championship banner before opening face-off. That will cap homecoming weekend. There will be a lot of eyeballs with direct connections to the program in the house.

How was practice this week? Coach David Carle said he wasn’t pleased with practice last week, and the Pioneers’ lethargic start in Friday’s 4-2 loss to UMass showed why. DU was much better Saturday but could not dent goalie Luke Pavicich. Unfortunately, another hot goaltender awaits in Providence’s Philip Svedeback. The freshman has won all three games for the Friars and has allowed only four total goals in the process. His save percentage is .945. Sophomore Riley Duran, a Boston Bruins pick, leads the Friars with five points and four goals.

DU sophomore Carter Mazur has the same stats for DU, and is tied with grad transfer Casey Dornbach for the team lead in points. Dornbach was moved to the third line last week with center Carter King and left wing Rieger Lorenz. Freshman Jared Wright joined Mazur and Massimo Rizzo on the top line. … Defenseman Sean Behrens, who left Saturday’s game after a knee-on-knee collision at the DU blue line well after he had moved the puck, was able to return and is expected to play this weekend. Center McKade Webster is considered week to week but could play after sitting out last weekend. Shockingly, only six Pioneers have more than one point so far this season – Dornbach, Mazur, Rizzo, forwards Owen Ozar and Jack Devine and defenseman Shai Buium.

Keep an eye on special teams. Providence has been dominant on both, scoring on 40 percent of its power plays and killing off 87.5 percent of its penalties. DU has been decent, killing off 77.8 percent of its penalties while connecting on 22.2 percent of its PPs.

©First Line Editorial 2022