I had the opportunity to watch both DU-Air Force games in person over the weekend, and several things stood out to me:

The Pioneers Successfully Adjusted: 24 hours after Friday night’s 5-4 OT loss at Cadet Arena, DU rebounded with a 3-1 win Saturday night in its home opener. Whether it was a recommitment to better team defense, a goalie change or lineup changes, or all of the above, DU played a far tighter game Saturday. Coach Jim Montgomery credited assistant David Carle for tuning up the defense, and I thought that was the most improved part of the Pioneers’ game Saturday. All six of the defenseman played well, with junior Will Butcher and senior Nolan Zajac really taking it up a couple of notches. Nick Neville scored a game-sealing goal and Zajac had the go-ahead one on a play started by freshman Blake Hillman‘s heady stretch pass. Tariq Hammond was steady and Matt VanVoorhis was a plus-player and led the group with five blocks.

Balancing Act: DU’s top line of Quentin Shore–Danton Heinen–Trevor Moore had three goals and three assists … in Friday’s loss. Saturday, zero points. Leading point getters in the win? Center Matt Marcinew and Zajac with a goal and helper each. Thirteen players registered points, and six scored goals (Shore had two), in a difficult weekend series. That type of balance bodes very well if it continues. Marcinew and Emil Romig, who scored Friday, were all over the place on Saturday.

Masked Men: Evan Cowley stopped 26 of 27 shots Saturday, and as Montgomery said after the game, was tracking everything. That game could have gone sideways after he allowed any early goal on a point shot, but it didn’t. Tanner Jaillet made 23 saves on 28 shots Friday and had moments when he was excellent, stopping several point-blank chances.

More Numbers: DU went 60-54 on face-offs with four centers fairing the best, led by Shore (.605 on 38 draws). Gabe Levin went .485 on 33 draws, while Marcinew went .692 on 13 and Troy Terry .545 on 11. … The Pioneers took just four penalties all weekend, killing off three, but scored on just one of seven power plays.

@MagnessMayhem