This University of Denver hockey season has hit some bumps along the way, but when the Pioneers are rolling they are still one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the country.
Three power-play goals, including two from star defenseman Zeev Buium, and a couple of tallies from the fourth line paved the way for a 6-3 victory Saturday night against rival Colorado College at Magness Arena in Game 2 of a best-of-three NCHC tournament series.
“We played with a lot more urgency tonight, a lot more desperation,” Buium said. “That’s just what we’ve got to carry into the rest of the year.”
The win, less than 24 hours after CC’s Kaidan Mbereko stonewalled them in Game 1, sets up a pivotal Game 3 on Sunday. The winner advances to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff next weekend in St. Paul, Minn., and is two wins from a conference title.
The sixth-seeded Tigers must win Sunday, or their season is over. Should the third-seeded Pios win, they’ll head for the Twin Cities looking to defend their NCHC crown before an NCAA title defense begins the following weekend.
CC’s ability to save its season may have taken a hit Saturday night early in the third period. Mbereko, who was brilliant Friday night in a 3-1 victory, left this contest just 70 seconds into the final period. He was unable to put any weight on his right leg.
Tigers coach Kris Mayotte did not have an update on Mbereko after the game.
“We’ve just got to focus on the actions that are going to help us win a hockey game,” Mayotte said. “If you told us before the weekend that we’ve got a Game 3 at Denver, we’d be pretty excited about it.”
The Tigers didn’t register a shot for more than 10 minutes Friday night in Game 1, but the Tigers scored just 2:15 into this one. Junior center Noah Laba beat DU goalie Matt Davis with a wrist shot from the high slot on CC’s first shot on goal of the contest.
Buium answered back at 5:41 with DU on the power play. His shot hit a CC player in front, then skipped off the ice and past Tigers goalie Kaidan Mbereko.
The Tigers grabbed another lead on their third shot of the game. Senior Tommy Middleton finished a 2-on-1 play from junior Ryan Beck at 8:58 of the first.
Aidan Thompson hammered home a one-timer on a cross-ice pass from captain Carter King for the Pios’ second extra-man goal of the first period to knot the score again at 14:40. It was Thompson’s 18th goal of the season, tying him with King for second on the club behind Sam Harris’ 21.
One night after CC sophomore Brady Cleveland scored the first goal of his NCAA career, DU freshman Hagen Burrows did the same. It took an official review to determine he was able to just push the puck across the goal line before Mbereko got his glove on it at 3:08 of the second.
Buium added his second power-play goal of the night at 6:39. He began the day with 38 points, third in the nation among defensemen and one back of Boston University’s Cole Hutson for second.
“I think we started to move the puck quicker,” Buium said. “That’s all it comes down to. We’re moving the puck quicker, trusting each other, just finding lanes and not overthinking it.”
It was a penalty-filled second period, and Colorado College collected a power-play goal of its own at 12:09 when Bret Link scored from the high slot with a couple of bodies in front.
Denver got a second goal from its fourth line late in the second. Grad student Connor Caponi beat Mbereko from the left circle for his third of the season to re-establish the Pios’ two-goal advantage.
“It was awesome,” Buium said. “Those guys work hard every night … For them to come out there and play with some swag, play with some confidence, it was great to see.”
Harris added an insurance marker at 8:10 of the third when he roofed a backhanded shot past Tigers backup goalie Carsen Musser on a breakaway.
Mayotte didn’t agree with the Burrows goal being awarded on the official review. There were also 16 penalties in this game, with 11 called against the Tigers.
“I really liked our compete,” Mayotte said. “I didn’t feel like … it might have looked a certain way on the scoreboard, but I’m going to put some of that blame on guys that didn’t wear hockey jerseys.”
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