Backstopped by a 36-save shutout performance from sophomore goaltender Evan Cowley, the University of Denver Pioneers skated to a convincing 4-0 win over the UMD Bulldogs at Magness Arena on Saturday night, completing an opening round playoff sweep of their NCHC rivals and punching their ticket to next weekend’s Frozen Faceoff in the process. Denver also moved up to No. 3 on the national PairWise Chart by virtue of its impressive two-game sweep of Minnesota-Duluth.
“My teammates played incredibly well in front of me tonight and made my job a lot easier,” Cowley said following Saturday’s victory. “It’s a really great feeling to be heading back to Minneapolis for the Frozen Faceoff. We’re a very confident group right now, and we’re excited to move on to the next round of the playoffs.”
After a back-and-forth opening 19 minutes of play, sophomore DU forward Trevor Moore tallied the game’s first marker, banking home a wrist shot off of UMD goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo’s skate to register his 20th goal of the season. Denver took a 2-0 lead courtesy of Boston Bruins prospect Danton Heinen, who put on a clinic in stickhandling after entering Bulldogs territory prior to depositing the 16th marker of his season to the back of Minnesota-Duluth’s net at the 7:36 mark of the second period.
Senior forward Matt Tabrum put the hosts up by three 12:38 into the middle frame, rifling home his second goal of 2014–15 with linemates Larkin Jacobson and Grant Arnold both drawing helpers on the play. Edmonton Oilers prospect and Hobey Baker Award candidate Joey LaLeggia then put the finishing touches on DU’s lopsided victory late in the third stanza, netting an empty-net marker with 2:23 remaining in regulation to give the Crimson & Gold the win by a four-goal margin.
Denver will continue its conference postseason title defense on Friday, March 20, at the Target Center in Minneapolis versus a TBD opponent. The NCHC will have further information on this year’s Frozen Faceoff in the coming days.