No. 3 Denver took just three penalties but No. 13 Western Michigan scored on every one of them in a 7-3 NCHC victory over the Pioneers at Kalamazoo, Mich., on Friday.

DU freshman forward Miko Matikka twice scored tying goals. Captain McKade Webster opened the scoring with his career-high seventh goal.

After Matikka tied the score on a breakaway 7:08 into the third period, the Broncos scored the final four goals — two into an empty net in the final 2:06 — to take the series opener. Matikka has points in the past 10 games he’s played in. His nine goals are tied for second on the team with Carter King (five behind Jack Devine’s Division I-leading 14).

Freshman goalie Freddie Halyk made 30 saves for Denver, while WMU counterpart Cameron Rowe stopped 28 shots.

Clean-up on Aisle 1

The Pioneers (11-5-1, 4-3-0 NCHC)  scored first for just the sixth time in 17 games but chased the scoreboard from late in the first period on. Webster struck on a power play just 2:36 in, but the Broncos (11-3-1, 4-3-0) seized the lead with two goals in 19 seconds during the final two minutes. Sam Colangelo scored on a power play and Dylan Wendt scored at even strength.

That was a sign of things to come. Every time DU’s Matikka would tie the score, WMU retook the lead fairly quickly. Zak Galambos made it 3-2 in the second and Joe Cassetti made it 4-3 midway through the third.

Beyond the special teams struggles, there were other difficulties for Denver.

Western outshot the Pioneers on goal 37-31 and fired 25 more total shots. The hosts also dominated the face-off circle, winning 38 of 67 draws (56.7).

Friday Blues

The loss was the Pioneers’ fourth on a Friday night — and third on the road — in nine weekend series. The others were at Providence, at Arizona State and vs. North Dakota last weekend.

Those include DU’s three games with their most goals allowed — six vs. ASU, seven vs. North Dakota and Friday’s avalanche.

Notes

Freshman defenseman Zeev Buium, who assisted on Webster’s goal to run his points streak to 11 games, made Team USA’s preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships. Coach David Carle is the squad’s head coach. Director of hockey operations Travis Culhane will serve as Carle’s video coach and equipment manager Nick Meldrum will hold the same role for Team USA. Former Pioneers assistants Steve Miller and David Lassonde also are on Carle’s staff along with St. Cloud State coach Brett Larson. World Juniors begin Dec. 26 in Gothenburg, Sweden. … The NCHC picked Buium as its rookie of the week, while his older brother Shai was the league’s defenseman of the week.

©First Line Editorial 2023