No. 6 Denver Outlasts No. 19 Miami in Series Finale

DENVER– Matteo Giampa and Maximilion Helgeson each produced a goal for No. 19 Miami, but No. 6/5 Denver pulled away late to outlast the RedHawks 5-2 Saturday night at Magness Arena. The Pioneers broke through for the game’s first power-play goal with less than four minutes remaining to buy some breathing room in a close contest where the teams had traded goals throughout.
 
Matteo Drobac made 26 saves for Miami (10-6-0, 2-6-0 NCHC). Five different players found the back of the net for the Pioneers (11-5-1, 7-1-0 NCHC).
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• 3:02 1st (Denver 1-0) | Hagen Burrows opened the scoring for the hosts near the three-minute mark. Denver held the puck in along the boards after Drobac tried to clear the zone, and once Burrows got it, he skated around a defender and into the middle to grab the game’s first goal.
• 12:54 1st (Miami 1-1) | The RedHawks evened the score later in the first period, as Owen Lalonde carried the puck all the way from his own goal to the attacking zone. Lalonde batted the puck to himself at one point, weaved in and out through the Denver defense, and ultimately laid off a pass to a trailing Giampa for the quick finish.
• 5:16 2nd (Denver 2-1) | Denver re-gained the lead in the second period on a one-time blast from Eric Jamieson near the blue line as the teams skated 4-on-4. James Reeder and Kieran Cebrian had the assists for DU.
• 11:30 2nd (Miami 2-2) | Seconds after a Miami power play expired, the RedHawks found an equalizer to make it 2-2. Shaun McEwen ripped a shot from deep that Casper Nassen and Doug Grimes battled to keep alive near the crease. Nassen tipped the puck wide to Helgeson and Helgeson promptly beat DU’s Quentin Miller to tie the game.
• 16:34 2nd (Denver 3-2) | Brendan McMorrow put the home team on top with a shorthanded goal later in the middle stanza. McMorrow spun away from a RedHawk in the neutral zone and finished off a 1-on-3 break to give Denver a 3-2 lead.
• 16:18 3rd (Denver 4-2) | Although two apparent Denver goals were disallowed after video reviews in the third period, the Pioneers were eventually able to double their one-goal lead late in the third period. Kyle Chyzowski let loose with a shot that deflected off a Miami player and into the net. Boston Buckberger and Clarke Caswell were credited with the assists.
• 17:26 3rd (Denver 5-2) | The Pios added an empty-net goal just over a minute later to conclude the scoring. Sam Harris knocked in a shot from the neutral zone off a Eric Pohlkamp feed to make it 5-2.

 
NOTES

• Helgeson netted the 40th goal of his NCAA Division I career, matched his season-best plus-minus rating at +2 and was named the game’s First Star.
• Giampa scored his 35th career goal and continues to lead Miami this season in points (16) and goals (nine).
• McEwen collected his first point since a two-assist game on Oct. 24.
• Lalonde picked up his second career assist.
• Miami won 31 faceoffs to Denver’s 28 (52.5%).
• Kyle Aucoin played in the 100th game of his career.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks return home to host Colorado College next weekend for an NCHC series. Puck drop on Friday, Dec. 12 is set for 7:05 p.m. at Steve “Coach” Cady Arena.