Junior defenseman Adam Plant gave DU its first lead of the weekend with his second-period goal at North Dakota on Saturday night. Photo courtesy of DU Athletics

What if Denver is the new No. 1 in college hockey this week?

After Saturday’s 3-2 victory at No. 6 North Dakota, coupled with a tie at Grand Forks on Friday and No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth’s loss Friday to Western Michigan it could happen. But it’s still November so we won’t get ahead of ourselves.

The victory kept the Pioneers unbeaten in their past eight games (7-0-1) and the Fighting Hawks winless in their past six (0-5-1). It also was the first loss of the season at home for North Dakota (5-4-2 overall, 0-3-1 NCHC) in seven games.

Freshman center Henrik Borgstrom scored the winning goal 6:25 into the third period just 57 seconds after North Dakota’s Shane Gersich had tied with his second goal of the game. It was Bergstrom’s second goal of the weekend and both came in the third period and both helped the Pioneers (7-2-1, 3-0-1) earn NCHC points.

Freshman Liam Finlay scored his first NCAA goal to pull DU into a 1-1 tie in the first period, and junior defenseman Adam Plant gave the Pioneers their first lead of the series 9:20 into the second period when he buried a Matt Marcinew pass on the rush. Plant’s goal was the first by a DU defenseman other that captain Will Butcher thus far this season.

“This was a tremendous win for our team,” DU coach Jim Montgomery told AM 1600’s Jay Stickney after the game. “I’m very proud of our group. We played with great puck support and speed. We played fast mentally, we played fast physically and we had (North Dakota) on their heels for most of the game.

“Our guys played their hearts out and we’re really playing dynamite hockey right now.”

Tanner Jaillet made 22 saves for DU and has not given up more than two goals in his past eight starts, allowing just one in six of them. In nine starts Jaillet has allowed just 15 goals.

“I thought we outwilled and outcompeted them, and that’s a hard team to do that to,” Montgomery said.

Defense does it again

Jaillet has played well, but overlooked thus far has been just how well DU’s defense – and by that I mean all skaters –  is doing at limiting opponents’ shots. North Dakota came in averaging more than 33 shots and three goals per game. The Fighting Hawks had three goals – all weekend. The Pioneers limited them to 24 shots Saturday.

Consider this, the 30 shot the Fighting Hawks had Friday were by far the most the Pioneers had given up since the 33 Ohio State fired at Jaillet on opening night. Between Game 1 and Game 9 (Friday), DU had allowed 22 shots vs. No. 3 Boston College, 26 and 25 vs. No. 4 Boston University, 20 twice at Michigan State, and 26 and 25 vs. Western Michigan, which likely will climb well into the rankings this week.

By the numbers

Borgstrom, who leads the Pioneers with five goals, now has points in three straight games and all 11 of his in the past seven games. … Dylan Gambrell, who picked up the second assist on Plant’s goal, now has points in all four games since he returned from injury. Butcher, who set up Borgstrom’s goal and has a team-high seven assists, also has points in four straight games. … Defenseman Blake Hillman had his first multipoint game of the season with assists on the Finlay and Borgstrom goals. …

The Pioneers connected on the power play for the third game in a row, the first time all season that’s happened, and went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

Notable

DU senior forward Emil Romig sustained a broken bone in his lower body and returned to the bench wearing a protective boot. Montgomery said after the game Romig is expected to miss six to eight weeks, but he is confident he can return this season.