Denver Pioneers fans, meet Steady Freddie.

Freshman goaltender Freddie Halyk stopped all 24 Air Force shots he faced Saturday night in his first NCAA start, lifting the No. 2 Pioneers to a 4-0 victory over the guest Falcons that was much closer than the scoreboard indicated.

Junior center Massimo Rizzo scored two goals, including a game-sealer with 5:46 to play in the third period, and freshman defenseman Cale Ashcroft scored his first NCAA goal for DU (4-1-1), which bounced back from a 5-5 tie against Augustana on Friday.

Guy Blessing made 23 saves for Air Force (3-5).

Here are some observations from the Pioneers’ victory.

Halyk Grounds Air Force

Halyk was scheduled to get his first start well in advance of starting goalie Matt Davis sustaining a lower-body injury on Friday.

The towering newcomer played like a veteran, showing poise all night, and playing his best when DU needed it most.

“Fred was awesome tonight,” said defenseman Sean Behrens. “We gave up a lot of chances and he was there to backstop us. He kept it a one-goal game, a two-goal game. He’s really the reason we won the game tonight.”

Air Force, which played a careful, disciplined game one night after getting taken to the woodshed by Colorado College, had several chances to tie the score midway through the second period. Among Halyk’s standout saves were three on Air Force leading goal scorer Austin Schwartz and Owen Dubois around the six-minute mark.

The Falcons had eight total shots, and four on Halyk, during a five-on-three power play spanning 1:18 with about seven minutes to go. That penalty kill was one of the crucial junctures of the game, and Halyk slammed the door.

“He was big and boring. That’s what he needed to be,” DU coach David Carle said. “A lot of pucks stuck to him. When things did break down like they do in every game, he was there to make some real big saves for us. He got out of the net to set pucks for our D-men to cue our breakout. You couldn’t have scripted it much better for him for his first start.

“The PK was big for us. The 5-on-3 was excellent. Our level of urgency to defend was better and more consistent throughout the night.”

Freddie standing tall in net. pic.twitter.com/5wNfqKFRY4

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) October 29, 2023

Halyk also stopped Air Force’s Will Gavin on a breakaway as Gavin exited the penalty box 6:30 into the third period with DU then up 2-0. If Halyk doesn’t make one of those saves (and there were others) the outcome might have been different.

“He looked calm and comfortable, and he played great,” Rizzo said.

Massimo Masterful on Two Goals

Rizzo, meanwhile, scored as nice of a deflection goal as you’ll hope to see with nine minutes remaining in the first period.

Denver kept Air Force hemmed in its zone after an icing call. After Blessing made a couple of stops, freshman Boston Buckberger fired the puck from the left point. Rizzo, stationed on the left dot directed it up and past the Falcons netminder.

Rizzo, who has goals in four consecutive games and 14 points in six games, struck again with 5:46 to go in the game, capping a beautiful rush through the neutral zone and the Falcons’ defense with a highlight reel goal around a Blessing poke check.

Another game, another beauty by Massimo Rizzo.

This one going coast-to-coast during 4-on-4. pic.twitter.com/jbzcqMaSol

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) October 29, 2023

Carter King hit an empty-net with two minutes left.

Another Freshman Breaks Open The Game

Ashcroft’s goal also came at a key juncture. DU led 1-0 with 1:29 to go in the second period when he chased down a McKade Webster pass below the goal line to Blessing’s right and fired the puck off the goalie’s backside. Remember, they don’t ask how when looking at the stats.

Ashcroft was part of a more determined and cleaner defensive effort by the Pioneers, who held the Falcons to just six third-period shots.

The victory helped ease the sting of Friday’s game, which got away from DU.

“We broke pucks out a lot better, allowed our forwards to transition a bit better,” Behrens said. “That was the biggest change. … We limited their offense.”

Notes: What is a coach’s best way to send a message? Playing time. Both teams made several changes to their lineup. DU sat forwards Tristan Lemyre and Sam Harris, and defenseman Garrett Brown. Defenseman Lucas Olvestad and forward Alex Weiermair moved in. It was Weiermair’s first NCAA game. …  Air Force, which lost to Colorado College, 6-2, on Friday, sat defenseman Mitchell Digby, and forwards Lucas Coon and Brendan Gibbons. Defenseman Owen Baumgartner and forwards Jake Marti and Ethan Ullrick were in. … The Pioneers will open NCHC play with a home-and-home series against Colorado Colllege next weekend.

©First Line Editorial 2023