There is a lot to be said for taking what an opponent gives you during a road game.

No. 3 Denver did just that Friday night, and defeated No. 6 Western Michigan, 4-1. It was the first victory for the Pioneers (22-4-1, 15-4 NCHC) at Kalamazoo, Mich., in five years.

Denver was powered by three man-advantage goals – by Carter Savoie, Bobby Brink and Carter Mazur – and it locked down on defense, allowing WMU ( ) just 23 shots on goal – 22 of which Magnus Chrona stopped.

Brink, the nation’s leading scorer with 47 points, padded his total with his second-period goal and first assists on Savoie’s team-high 17th of the season and Mazur’s 12th. The Savoie goal tied the score late in the first period after Western had taken a lead on its first shot – by Cole Gallant – 11:31 into the game.

Brink’s strike – his 11th – came from the high slot off a pass from Savoie. The Broncos’ kill shifted when Savoie got the puck in the right circle, and his alert pass to Brink came quickly enough to give the junior a clear lane to Brandon Bussi (32 saves).

Sophomore defenseman Mike Benning extended the margin to 3-1 with an even-strength tally early in the third, and Mazur scored less than two minutes later on the back door after a brilliant shot-pass by Brink from the left circle. Benning’s goal was his 11th. Mazur’s tally gave him 30 points in his freshman campaign.

The victory extended Denver’s NCHC lead to five points, although second-place North Dakota has one game in hand. DU is now 9-4 vs. teams Nos. 2-6 in the NCHC standings (each of whom is ranked), and it’s 2-3 on the road against them.

Notes: Freshman defenseman Sean Behrens added two assists, giving him 27 on the season. The total, incredibly, ranks him just seventh on the team. Benning played in his 50th career game. … The teams play at 5 p.m. MST on Saturday

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