Top-ranked Denver got a start it wanted, and it showed plenty of finish in a decisive 5-2 non-conference victory Saturday that completed a sweep of Arizona State at Magness Arena.

Jared Wright scored two goals, and Casey Dornbach, Massimo Rizzo and Sean Behrens each added one to help sophomore goalie Matt Davis win his second start of the season.

One night after Sun Devils goalie T.J. Semptimphelter stopped 50 DU shots, the Pioneers chased him after he allowed a fourth goal on the 30th shot he faced.

“I liked our intensity to start the game,” Denver coach David Carle said. “We just wanted to make sure we got to our game quickly and established how we want to play. I thought we did that in the first period and it carried over to the second.”

Denver’s offense continues to round into form

The Pioneers have 14 goals during their three-game winning streak and 26 in winning six of their past seven. There are several reasons for both the quantity of goals and the growing selection of locations they’re coming from.

On Friday, the Pioneers got goals from two lines and the defense. On Saturday, it was two lines – one different from Friday – and the defense again. After 53 shots on goal Friday, the Pioneers pelted the Sun Devils net with 43 more Saturday.

“We talked about all the new forwards, and it would take time for chemistry to come. I think we’re seeing that continue to develop, and our puck possession game, our confidence,” Carle said. “Jared Wright hung onto the puck more tonight, Tristan Broz did all weekend, the Rizzo line had the puck a lot, they weren’t throwing it away.

“I saw us playing on our forehand a little more, which allowed for crisp passes. We weren’t afraid to cut back and continue to hang onto it. I’m proud of the growth we continue to show offensively.”

Behrens added two assists, giving him three for the weekend, to go with his goal. The four-point output matched his total from the first 12 games he’d played this season. Saturday also marked his third career three-point game. Could this be a turning point for him?

“To have the puck start going in the net it’s a big confidence boost for me,” the sophomore said. “Start of the year it’s been tough putting the puck in the back of the net, so it’s nice to get that first one and a couple of assists as well.”

The Pioneers fired 168 total shots this weekend, another encouraging sign.

“(We were) breaking pucks out a lot better tonight,” Behrens said. “We were more connected and faster through the neutral zone. I think we got more traffic in front of the net, which let to more of our goals and opportunities.”

Rizzo, who is on a career-high three-game goal streak, played with Dornbach and Broz this weekend while his regular left wing, Carter Mazur, played with freshmen Wright and Aidan Thompson. The results spoke for themselves.

“I think our puck movement was good,” Rizzo said. “Everyone was gelling well together, getting pucks to the net. (We) ran into a hot goalie, but we still managed to get a few. As long as we get the two wins that’s what’s important.

“Whatever mixture we’re throwing in we seem to be doing well together.”

DU finds a winning formula late in periods

The Pioneers built a 4-0 lead by repeating a similar template. Wright and Dornbach scored 48 seconds apart late in the first period, and Rizzo and Wright scored 49 seconds apart late in the second.

“It was good to end both periods on a real high note where we felt like it was coming, and we just stuck with it,” Carle said.

Wright’s first goal came on a bang-bang play that defenseman Shai Buium initiated by carrying the puck to the bottom of the left circle and finding Wright in the slot as he was being dragged down. Wright still managed to unleash a one-timer to beat Semptimphelter with 3:03 to go in the first.

His second tally displayed his blazing speed. Thompson hit him with a stretch pass in the neutral zone and he sped down the right wing, moved the ASU goalie a bit to his right and put the puck in short side with 53 seconds left in the second.

“The freshmen are doing great, they’ve got a couple games in them now,” Rizzo said. “Depth scoring is going to be big for us coming down the line. Good to see other guys chipping in.”

In between, Dornbach and Rizzo scored their seventh goals of the season. Dornbach’s came on a patient play where he found an opening from the right circle. The puck hit Semptimphelter, bounced over him and a defenseman’s stick and into the net with 2:15 left in the first. Rizzo’s strike came after he collected the puck on the right wing board and went far side on the Sun Devils goalie with his off-wing shot from near the right dot.

Davis makes the most of his second start

This was Davis’ first start since Oct. 8 vs. Maine, a 3-1 Pioneers victory to wrap up the Ice Breaker Tournament championship. He faced a handful of prime chances from a skilled Sun Devils team.

“The first six to nine minutes he was called upon a couple of times with the score 0-0,” Carle said. “He was really good, pucks were sticking to him. I thought his puck play got better, especially in the second period when he was able to move it up a couple of times.

“He’s earned an opportunity and practiced really well this week, and (he) has been going good in practice for a while. I’m happy for him.”

Davis carried a shutout midway into the third period and finished with 18 saves. Ryan O’Reilly scored on a deflection and Teddy Lagerback added a late goal for Arizona State. Those are two of the only three goals Davis has allowed all season.

“Everyone was super stoked for him,” Rizzo said. “He’s been doing well in practice, and he was unbelievable, made a couple of big saves.”

Notes: The Pioneers went 0 for 7 on the power play but also did not allow a goal during their four penalty kills. … DU returns to NCHC play next weekend with a series at Minnesota Duluth, which split at home against Colorado College.

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