DENVER – Backed by Jarid Lukosevicius' hat trick, the Denver Pioneers (4-0-1, 1-0-0-0) opened NCHC play with a 5-2 win against the Western Michigan Broncos (3-4-0, 0-1-0-0) on Friday in Magness Arena.

After leading 1-0 through the first period, the Pioneers used a three-goal second period and Lukosevicius' scoring touch to push past the Broncos. Lukosevicius, Liam Finlay, Michael Davies and Ian Mitchell each logged multi-point games in Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach David Carle's first career NCHC victory.

"I'm really happy with how we stuck to our game plan," Carle said. "It was really good to see our guys continue to skate, continue to pressure pucks and stick to our process"

The Pioneers struck first shorthanded at 14:18 of the opening frame when Lukosevicius forced a turnover in the neutral zone, darted down the left-wing boards and held off pressure long enough to put a shot past the glove of Ben Blacker.

Western Michigan evened the score only 11 seconds into the second period as a dump-in took an unexpected bounce on Devin Cooley who was playing the puck behind the net. Ethen Frank was first to the puck off the dasher board and centered a pass for Hugh McGing who made it 1-1. Denver would regain its lead twice more in the period, beginning at 6:02 when Finlay's long wrist shot yielded a rebound for Davies in front of the net. Only 38 seconds after Davies' goal, the Broncos stormed back on the power play with McGing's second goal of the game. Denver re-established its lead midway through the period when Mitchell navigated through the offensive zone before slipping a pass to Lukosevicius alone on the back door. Four minutes later, Finlay carried the puck between the circles and unleashed a wrist shot across his body and past Blacker's blocker to give the Pioneers a 4-2 lead at the 2^nd intermission.

Lukosevicius added his third goal of the game at 10:05 of the third period when he redirected Mitchell's shot from the point, tying Pettersen for the team lead with eight points and giving Denver its second hat trick of the season.

Denver finished 1/2 on the power play and 2/3 on the penalty kill. Cooley made 26 saves.

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