The University of Denver Pioneers (2-0-2, NCHC 0-0-0-0) defeated the Lake Superior State Lakers (1-3-2, WCHA 0-1-1), 5-1, at Magness Arena on Saturday.
Denver used a three-goal third period to gain separation from the Lakers and earn their first home victory of the season. Troy Terry (2-0-2), Colin Staub (0-2-2) and Dylan Gambrell (0-2-2) each logged multi-point games, while goalie Dayton Rasmussen turned aside 15 shots in his first NCAA win.
Josh Nenadal opened the scoring for the Lakers, catching a piece of William Riedell’s shot from the point and deflecting it past Rasmussen to make it 1-0 at 9:04 of the first period. J.T. Henke had a secondary assist on the goal.
With three minutes remaining in the first period, Troy Terry evened the score with a shot from the bottom of the right circle that sailed over the left shoulder of Lakers goalie Mareks Mitens. Staub and Gambrell had helpers on the goal that made it 1-1 at the first intermission.
The Pioneers pulled away following the game-tying goal as a 5-on-3 power play late in the second period set up Terry’s second goal and gave Denver a one-goal lead after 40 minutes. The go-ahead goal was a deflection on a shot from Ian Mitchell. Gambrell also had an assist on the play.
Only 47 seconds into the third period, Michael Davies received a pass from Staub and fired a wrist shot from the right circle past the blocker of Mitens to make it 3-1. Tyson McLellan had a secondary assist on Davies’ goal. At 8:57 of the third period, Henrik Borgström and Griffin Mendel connected to give the Pioneers a 4-1 lead and give Mendel his first NCAA goal. Jarid Lukosevicius had the secondary assist.
Jaako Heikkinen iced the game with a goal at 18:26 of the third period that marked his first in the NCAA and made it 5-1. Liam Finlay and Sean Mostrom had the assists.
Denver finished 1/5 on the power play and 3/3 on the penalty kill.
