DENVER – Tyler Ward's first-period hat trick jumpstarted the No. 7 Denver Pioneers hockey team (18-8-5, 8-7-4-3) in its 7-3 victory against the Miami RedHawks on Friday at Magness Arena. The victory snapped the Pioneers' four-game losing streak and marked the most goals they've scored in a game this season.
 
Denver entered the series having scored only five goals in its previous four games. The Pioneers hit the five-goal threshold by 8:32 of the second period on Friday. By the final horn, Denver had scored seven for the first time since Feb. 25, 2017 at St. Cloud State.
                                                                                                                                                                                 
Miami opened the scoring only two minutes into the game with Casey Gilling collecting a rebound off the end boards and beating Magnus Chrona to the post. The RedHawks' lead at 1:32 of the first period was as immediate as it was short-lived. Ward's tallies at 2:44, 10:04 and 18:59 of the frame, in addition to Cole Guttman's power-play goal at 7:21, gave Denver a commanding 4-1 lead at the first intermission.
 
"We executed offensively tonight," Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach David Carle said. "We did a really good job offensively; shooting off the pass, making plays off the rush…a lot of it started from our puck pressure and us being above pucks in our transition. Our power play was really good. When we got calls in the first period, we got four power plays and scored two goals. It gives our bench and building a lot of life and momentum."
 
Ward scored his first goal of the night only one minute after Miami took the lead. Taking a pass from Brett Stapley, Ward dangled through the stick of his defenseman and beat Ryan Larkin five-hole. He leveled up for his second goal, carrying the puck through the neutral zone, accelerating as he crossed the blue line, splitting the defense and shelfing a shot over Larkin's blocker. Leading 3-1, Denver's second power play unit got on the board in final two minutes of the first period with Tyson McLellan feeding a pass between his legs for a wide-open Ward at the front of the net.
 
The teams traded goals two goals apiece in the second period with Hank Crone finding Guttman for a one-timer at 8:32 and Crone collecting his own goal upon video review at 19:08. The goal that eventually gave Denver a 6-3 lead was originally disallowed until review determined the puck had been swatted out of the air and across the goal line.
 
Ian Mitchell extended the Pioneers' lead at 3:39 of the third period only seconds into the Pioneers' sixth power play of the game. The floating wrist shot from the left point improved Denver's power play to 10-for-34 in the last eight games, with a power-play goal in all but one of those games.
 
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Ward's first career hat trick was the first for a Pioneer since Nov. 2, 2018 when Jarid Lukosevicius scored a trifecta against Western Michigan…Denver has scored a power play goal in seven of its last eight games…Cole Guttman had a career-high four-point game with two goals and two assists…Ian Mitchell had one goal and two assists…Denver went 3/6 on the power play and 2/2 on the penalty kill…Magnus Chrona made 20 saves…The Pioneers outshot Miami 55-23…
 
UP NEXT: Denver Hockey presented by Centura Health closes its series with Miami on Saturday, Feb. 22. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. from Magness Arena
 
FROZEN FACEOFF TICKETS: Tickets for the 2020 Frozen Faceoff in St. Paul, Minn. are on sale now. More information is available here.
 
2020 DENVER ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME RECEPTION: Denver announced its 2020 Athletic Hall of Fame class in January. The inductees will be honored on the DU campus May 16. For more information, registration for the reception and donation information, click here. 

DONATE: Fans interested in making a donation to the hockey program can do so by clicking here. Your contribution will make a direct impact on the success of YOUR Pioneers. Thank you in advance for your unwavering support of our student-athletes and their quest for excellence.  
 
SHOP PIONEERS: Get dressed for Game Day! Get your Pioneers gear at ShopPioneers.com, the official online store of University of Denver Athletics.

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