Denver demonstrated it is willing and able to play whichever way a foe wants to on Saturday night, and the result was a 5-1 victory over No. 1 St. Cloud State at Magness Arena.

Senior defenseman Adam Plant had the first two-goal game of his NCAA career, which has spanned 132 games, and Dylan Gambrell had a goal and assist for the No. 3 Pioneers, who swept the Huskies by a combined 9-3. St. Cloud (7-2, 2-2 NCHC) had been averaging nearly five goals per game.

The game included 21 penalties, including a 5-minute major and game misconduct to St. Cloud captain Jimmy Schuldt for checking from behind late in the second period.

“I thought we were better last night. I thought it it was a better hockey game last night,” Denver coach Jim Montgomery told Altitude afterward. “It got undisciplined and the game unraveled.

“I don’t think we played our best hockey but we found a way to win.”

Plant’s two goals bookended one by Tyson McLellan during a second-period surge by the Pioneers (6-2-2, 2-2 NCHC) that led to a 3-0 lead. Plant took a drop pass on his off wing from Colin Staub, who then drove to the net and took a defender with him. The left-shot Plant fired the puck from inside the right circle to the high, short side of Huskies goalie David Hrenak just 1:32 in.

McLellan scored into virtually the same spot just 28 seconds later, and Plant added his second power-play tally at the 9:35 mark when he sent a puck toward the net from the left point.

The Huskies got one back when Kevin Fitzgerald buried a pass into the slot from Robby Jackson, who was below the goal line, two minutes later.

That was the only mark against Tanner Jaillet, who was sharp for the second night in a row, particularly in the first period, when St. Cloud had 13 of its 23 shots.

The Pioneers left little doubt about the outcome in the third period when Gambrell tipped in a power-play point shot from Ian Mitchell, who must be wondering what he needs to do to score his first collegiate goal. The freshman has ticketed at least four shots for the net only to have teammate get a stick or body part on the puck and get the goal.

Jarid Lukosevicius closed out the scoring by going to the net and depositing a rebound of a Troy Terry shot past Hrenak.

Double trouble

Plant became the sixth Pioneer to have a multi-goal game this season, joining Henrik Borgstrom, Terry, Staub, Lukosevicius and fellow defenseman Blake Hillman. Borgstrom had his fourth multi-goal game on Friday. Plant’s was the ninth in 10 games for DU.

By the numbers

DU dominated on special teams, capitalizing on 3 of 8 power plays and stopping St. Cloud on all five of its man advantages. … The Pioneers’ shots-on-goal edge of 42-23 included a 33-10 margin over the final two periods. … Eleven players hit the scoresheet for the Pioneers. … Devin Cooley made his first NCAA appearance in relief of Jaillet in the final minutes, meaning everyone on the Pioneers’ roster has played in at least one game this season. … Lukosevicius is on quite a heater, with points in five consecutive games and goals in three straight.

DU’s three stars

1. Adam Plant. He plays against opponents’ top lines every week and does a lot of little things that don’t show up on the scoresheet. So it’s nice when he is able to fill up his stat line.
2. Tanner Jaillet. This game could have gone in a different direction if he hadn’t made 13 of his 21 saves in the first period.
3. Dylan Gambrell. With a goal and an assist he “quietly” has 16 points in 10 games.

Up next

The Pioneers play host to No. 2 North Dakota, which tied Miami on Saturday after beating the RedHawks on Friday. Next Friday’s and Saturday’s games are at 7:05 p.m.