DENVER Rhett Rakhshani (Huntington Beach, Calif.) scored twice and Kyle Ostrow (Calgary, Alberta) tallied the game-winner as the No. 9 University of Denver Pioneers (9-5-1, 5-4-1 WCHA) skated to a 4-1 win over the visiting No. 11 Air Force Falcons (13-1-0, 10-0-0 AHA) tonight in front of 6,032 fans at Magness Arena.
Sophomore netminder Marc Cheverie (Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia) turned aside 38-of-39 shots in his ninth victory of the season, while Joe Colborne (Calgary, Alberta) picked up two assists as DU handed Air Force its first loss of the season.
“Marc Cheverie was without a doubt the difference for us in the game tonight,” head coach George Gwozdecky said. “He kept us in the game, and when we took the lead he gave us big time goaltending. He’s been our top player these last three games. Give credit to Air Force. They never gave up. They were all over us in the final few minutes.”
After a scoreless first period, Rakhshani gave DU a 1-0 lead on a power play goal at 14:40 of the second period. Jesse Martin (Edmonton, Alberta) sent a pass down low to Colborne on the left side of the net, and Colborne one-timed a pass through traffic to Rakhshani, who fired a shot from just inside the right faceoff circle.
The third period began with Air Force on the power play, but DU’s penalty kill remained perfect on the night at 3-for-3. However, the Falcons tallied the equalizer on a Scott Mathis slap shot from the blue line with 17:39 remaining.
Just 30 seconds later, the Pioneers regained the lead when Ostrow buried a shot from the right side. He was assisted on the play by Colborne and Patrick Mullen (Pittsburgh, Pa.).
Rakhshani netted his second goal of the game with 13:44 to play. Tyler Bozak (Regina, Saskatchewan) dumped the puck in from blue line on the left side, and Rakhshani knocked the air-born puck past Volkening into the net.
Air Force pulled Volkening with two minutes remaining, and Vossberg sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at the 18:12 mark. Maiani picked up his 13th assist of the season on the play.
The Falcons outshot the Pioneers 39-29, but went 0-for-3 on the power play. Denver was 1-for-4 with the man-advantage.
The Pioneers are on the road for all of December, beginning their four-game road stretch at Michigan Tech next weekend. DU also faces Minnesota State (Dec. 12-13) before returning to Magness Arena for the Wells Fargo Denver Cup on Jan. 2-3.
Notes: Denver held Air Force to just one goal after the Falcons entered the game as No. 1 in the nation in scoring offense at 5.08 goals per game...Bozak and Maiani both extended their point streaks to four games...Bozak has 2-35 in the last four games and Maiani has 1-56 in DU’s last four outings...Colborne has two assists in each of Denver’s last three games...Denver improved to 28-3 all-time against Air Force after the Falcons posted a 5-2 upset win last season.
