Box Score DENVER -- The only mystery about Alaska was left in the movies because the University of Denver hockey team had no problem solving the defense of Alaska Anchorage Friday night at Magness Arena. Led by junior forward Chris Paradise (St. Paul, Minn.) with one goal and two assists, sophomore Kevin Doell (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) with two goals and freshman Ryan Caldwell (DeLoraine, Manitoba) with three helpers, the Pioneers rolled to a decisive 6-3 win over the Seawolves in the opening contest of a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series. Denver improves to 16-13-4 on the season, 11-11-3 WCHA and moves into sixth place in the conference. Alaska Anchorage falls to 6-21-4, 4-19-4.
Denver opened the scoring barrage early in the first frame by taking a 1-0 lead at 6:04. Paradise won the face-off deep in the offensive zone and pulled it back to senior defenseman Judd Stauss (East Grand Forks, Minn.). Stauss skated back towards the blue-line and fired a slap shot on net that found the stick of Paradise before sailing by UAA goalie Chris King. The Pioneers continued their assault on the Seawolves as the period wore on and took a commanding 4-0 lead into the first recess with two markers by Doell, and a goal by sophomore defenseman Aaron MacKenzie (Terrace Bay, Ontario), his second of the season. Denver's defense allowed only two shots on goal in the period and successfully killed off both of the UAA power play tries.
The second period opened much as the first had ended, however, the Seawolve's were the one's celebrating 12:18 into the stanza. Alaska Anchorage ended their scoreless drought when forward Mike Scott beat Pioneer freshman net-minder Adam Berkhoel (Woodbury, Minn.) with a slap-shot from just inside the blue-line to cut the deficit to three goals, 4-1. Denver responded two minutes later with a goal by sophomore forward Matt Weber (Binghamton, N.Y.). Caldwell skated down the right side of the zone and fed Weber with a centering pass behind both Alaska Anchorage defenders. Weber one-timed the pass over the stick of King to give Denver a 5-1 lead at 14:18. The Pioneers took their four-goal lead into the second intermission.
The Pioneers' relentless pressure continued into the third period and broke the game open 2:24 into the frame when sophomore forward Greg Barber (Kelowna, B.C.) took a pass from Caldwell at center ice and drove towards the net on a breakaway before firing a wrist shot over the glove of King to give the Pioneers a comfortable 6-1 lead. Alaska Anchorage tallied two goals in the final five minutes of the game to cut the deficit to three goals, 6-3, but ended up short when the final buzzer sounded.
Berkhoel recorded his sixth victory of the season (6-4-1) and remains unbeaten in his last five starts with a 4-0-1 record. The Pioneers out-shot UAA 23-21 and scored once on six man-advantage opportunities while holding UAA to only one goal in seven tries.
The Pioneers will look to improve upon their 19-11-4 series lead over the Seawolves as they go for the season sweep this Saturday (February 24) when Denver and Alaska-Anchorage conclude the season series. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:05 p.m.
