There was an excellent goaltender’s duel disguised as a special teams practice Sunday night at Magness Arena.

Junior Magnus Chrona stopped 31 shots to post his second shutout of the season and the fifth of his career as No. 6 Denver defeated No. 15 Omaha, 4-0, to sweep the NCHC series.

The Pioneers (14-5-1, 7-3 NCHC) scored three of their four goals on power plays, including two during 5-minute majors to Mavericks players. Omaha goalie Isaiah Saville stopped 33 shots.

A total of 20 penalties were called in the game, 10 on each team.

“It’s one of those games you’ve got work your way through,” Pioneers assistant coach Dallas Ferguson said. “Our goalie won the hockey game. Magnus was lights out. The penalty killers did a real good job (10-for-10), especially in the second period. We had some big blocks.”

Carter Savoie had the first power-play goal and set up Brett Stapley‘s even-strength goal to stake Denver to a 2-0 lead by the early second period. Defenseman Antti Tuomisto scored his first goal of the season on the second 5-minute power player, and Carter Mazur added his 10th of the season, also on a man advantage with 49 seconds to go.

The victory, which gave DU a 10-1-1 record in its past 12 games, moved it into second place in the NCHC, just three points behind North Dakota.

Magnus-ificent

Chrona was on top of his game right from the start, and he needed to be against a Mavericks team that raised its level of aggressiveness.

“He’s been amazing for us,” Stapley said. “Tonight it really showed. That shutout was due for a while.”

Omaha had a handful of point-blank chances that went for naught, and Chrona’s rebound control was outstanding.

“Magnus looked really confident,” Ferguson said. “We weren’t supporting him the way we needed to. Credit to him for bailing out some of our poor decisions.”

Omaha had 22 shots on goal Saturday, which is more the norm of what Chrona sees, but he didn’t mind the uptick in business on Sunday.

“(Facing) 18, 20 it’s usually hard,” he said. “Tonight it felt like everything kept on rolling, chances for us and chances for them.”

Omaha obviously wanted to ratchet up it’s net-front presence, and it paid off in the form of some good chances.

“I didn’t get a lot of net-front presence (Saturday),” Chrona said. “I expected it. I prepared for it. I like it. I’m very comfortable when teams go to my net front.”

Facing so many power plays, DU’s defense blocked 13 shots and stick checked innumerable pucks away. His teammates’ compete levels are what stood out to Chrona.

“I saw a group of guys battling through it,” Chrona said. “They did a good job. We were not having our ideal game and we still (won) it. That’s what championship teams do.

“Against Alaska we saw what happened. We battled through tonight. There is some learning to take from it. (Kyle)  Mayhew probably blocked five shots. That shows what Pioneer hockey is all about.”

Enough offense

Savoie’s goal – his team-high 13th and first since Dec. 3 – came with 9:30 left in the first period and 1:18 to go in a 5-minute major to Mavericks forward Joey Abate for boarding Mazur. Savoie fielded the puck just below the right dot and snapped a shot as he drifted to his right. The angle change froze Saville just long enough.

Stapley made it 2-0 at 5:16 into the second on the game’s only even-strength goal. The tally was his ninth of the season, extending his career high, and it came in his 100th NCAA game. Savoie’s hard work on the forecheck made the play possible.

“We had good changes, Savoie made a great play to pick the defenseman’s pocket. I was just out front wide open,” the senior said.

Tuomisto’s goal came with Mavericks forward Taylor Ward having been ejected for cross checking and 8:27 to go in the game. The sophomore’s shot from the high slot went through traffic and over Saville. Mazur capped it with another power-play goal off a Savoie feed.

It completed a game that had several opportunities to go sideways.

“It’s not easy game,” Stapley said. “Definitely not a perfect game from an Xs and Os standpoint.

“When games are back and forth, it’s hard to settle down, emotions are running high.”

Denver held them in check enough, and now it’s on to a Gold Pan series vs. Colorado College next weekend.

Saturday night

The Pioneers’ second line of Cameron Wright, Massimo Rizzo and Mazur accounted for three goals and nine points in a 5-2 victory. Wright had two goals, Rizzo one. Bobby Brink and Cole Guttman also tallied. Chrona made 20 saves in a game DU never trailed in. Brink added an assist, his team-high 20th, while Wright’s goals temporarily tied him with Savoie for the team lead at 12. The Pioneers outshot the Mavericks, who got goals from Kevin Conley and Ward, 34-22.

©First Line Editorial 2022