You’d never know it took No. 7 Denver almost seven full games to score its previous 14 goals.

The Pioneers shellacked Miami for a second night in a row, 7-0, on Saturday thanks to big games from a trio of sophomores. Emilio Pettersen had a two-goal, four-point night while Cole Guttman and Brett Stapley each had a goal and two assists. One night earlier, the Pioneers took a 7-3 decision.

Junior Devin Cooley made 22 saves, including 10 in the third period, when Miami 6-19-5, 3-14-3-2 NCHC) brought more pressure. The shutout was the second of the season for Cooley, who was back in his familiar Saturday night starting slot.

One night after scoring four goals in the first period to blow that game open, the Pioneers racked up four in the second to do the same in the rematch, including both of Pettersen’s tallies. That turned a 1-0 lead into a 5-0 advantage.

A power-play strike from Guttman, his third goal of the weekend, late in the first period was the ice-breaker. In addition to Pettersen, defense partners Ian Mitchell and Griffin Mendel scored in the second.

Defenseman Justin Lee and Stapley scored late in the third.

Liam Finlay, Kyle Mayhew and Tyler Ward each added two assists in the onslaught.

The regained scoring touch came none too soon because the Pioneers travel to surging St. Cloud State next weekend. The Huskies took five of six NCHC points from first-place North Dakota this weekend and are right on DU’s heels for fourth place and home ice advantage in the NCHC quarterfinals.

With four games remaining, Denver has a five-point lead on St. Cloud State for fourth place, and the Pioneers trail Western Michigan by one point for third.

©First Line Editorial 2020