One mark of a good team is that it beats opponents that it should, and so it was with No. 11 Denver, which toppled Miami, 7-1, on Saturday to sweep the teams’ NCHC series.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Denver, something that is becoming a pattern. The Pioneers began the season with four wins, then lost four on the road, and now have won four in a row at home.

The Pioneers (8-4, 4-2 NCHC) have won their first seven games at home for the first time since the 1977-78 season, which was played at the old Denver Arena.

Denver broke open Saturday’s game with a four-goal outburst in a 10-minute span of the second period.

McKade Wester scored his first of the season – and the first of two DU short-handed goals – at 6:10. Carter Mazur, who had the only goal of the first period, got his second of the game – and fifth in four games – at 8:56.  Connor Caponi then tallied the first of his two with 6:28 to play, and defenseman Mike Benning struck two minutes later.

Caponi and Bobby Brink scored in the third to seal it.

The fourth line of Caponi, Webster and Carter King carried the mail for the Pioneers. The trio combined for seven points, including King’s three assists. Benning also had three points.

The route capped a dominant weekend for the Pioneers and goaltender Magnus Chrona, who made 14 saves. Chrona finished the weekend with 38 saves on 40 shots on goal.

On the other side of the coin, Denver uncorked 48 shots on goal one night after launching 36 on Friday.

The Pioneers also had an excellent night on the penalty kill, stopping all five Miami chances while notching two shorties.

DU is off this weekend before hitting the road the first two weekend of December for series at Arizona State and No. 4 Minnesota Duluth.

©First Line Editorial 2021