No. 3 Denver played about as close to a perfect road game as it could Friday night, shutting out Miami, 4-0, to open the NCHC portion of its schedule at Oxford, Ohio.

Sophomore right wing Carter Mazur scored DU’s first three goals – one in each period, and senior Magnus Chrona stopped 24 Redhawks shots for his third victory in a row. Sophomore Tristan Broz scored his first goal as a Pioneer to cap the scoring.

Denver’s defense kept Miami (4-2-1, 0-1-0 NCHC) to the outside for much of the game, and the Redhawks didn’t help their cause by taking five penalties, including a major that led to Mazur’s second goal. On the rare occasions he needed to, Chrona made stops in close, and the Pioneers’ defense quickly transitioned the puck up the ice.

Mazur again demonstrated that he knows exactly where the scoring areas are. All of his goals came within a few feet of the crease of Miami’s Ludvig Persson (35 saves), and each came with assists from linemates Massimo Rizzo and Casey Dornbach. And Mazur’s timing was exceptional as well.

The first strike, 6:25 into the game, was a roof job from between the bottom of the circles in front of the crease. That helped DU (5-2-0, 1-0-0) set the tone for the night.

The second, 2:53 into the second, came on a 5-on-3 power play. Mazur went to the top of the paint and buried a rebound of Rizzo’s shot.

The third, with 3:55 to play, sealed the outcome and finished a beautiful tic-tac-toe play. Dornbach passed from the right dot to Rizzo between the circles. Persson had to honor that point-blank chance, but Rizzo found Mazur on the right doorstep for his eighth goal of the season.

Broz alertly picked off an errant pass in the high slot and ended all doubt with 1:43 to go.

The victory was DU’s first on the road in three tries, and it continued a strong run of play by Chrona. He made 29 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory over Providence, one night after stopping 25 of 26 shots vs. the Friars. He also allowed just two goals on 23 shots in a loss at UMass.

Notes: Senior captain Justin Lee played in his 100th career game Friday. The defenseman has 29 points, including nine goals, during his century. … Dornbach’s father Greg played at Miami from 1984-87, scoring 106 points (36 goals). He was a ninth-round pick of the Hartford Whalers in 1985 and played for Team USA twice in the World Junior Championships (1985-86). … Center Carter King, who sustained an injury Saturday against Providence, traveled with the team but was not in the lineup Friday night. … The teams play again Saturday at 3 p.m. MDT. NCHC.tv and 104.3 FM have the pictures and sounds.

©First Line Editorial 2022