DULUTH, Minn. – The No. 11 Denver Pioneers hockey team extended its winning streak to seven games on Friday night with a 5-0 victory over the No. 5 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs at Amsoil Arena.
 
Junior goaltender Magnus Chrona stopped all 23 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season and fourth of his career and sophomore defenseman Mike Benning scored twice for the Pioneers (11-4-1, 5-2-0 NCHC), who are on their longest winning streak since beginning the 2019-20 campaign on an eight-game run (Oct. 5-Nov. 2, 2019).
 
Seniors Ryan Barrow and Cole Guttman both had multi-point nights as well with a goal and an assist each, and freshman Shai Buium also scored for his first collegiate tally.
 
The victory was DU's third straight on the road and ended a five-game losing streak to the Bulldogs (10-6-1, 3-3-2 NCHC), its longest in the all-time series. The teams meet again on Saturday at Amsoil Arena in what will be the Pioneers' final game before the holiday break.
 
Buium opened the scoring for Denver 8:11 into the first period after Minnesota Duluth iced the puck. Following the ensuing faceoff, the Pioneer defenseman intercepted a UMD clearing attempt before finding the back of the net with a wrist shot from the high slot for his first NCAA goal.
 
The Pioneers added to their lead with 2:28 before the first intermission as Guttman took passes from Bobby Brink and Carter Mazur to tally for the second consecutive game and the fifth time this year. Each of the three players extended their respective point streaks to seven contests, with Guttman and Brink setting new career longs.
 
Denver more than doubled its lead in the middle frame, as Benning scored twice and Barrow also had a multi-point period. Benning's first marker at 4:16 came after he drove past a Duluth defender and buried a shot far-side, while his second at 16:31 was off a slap shot from the high slot following a clean faceoff win by Guttman.
 
Barrow's third tally of the year was sandwiched between Benning's goals, as he fired a one-timer off a feed from Brett Stapley midway through the period. Kyle Mayhew also helped create the marker as he kept the puck in the offensive zone at the right point after the Bulldogs won the preceding draw.
 
In the third, Chrona stopped all seven shots that came his way to secure his first clean sheet since Feb. 27 against Colorado College (29 saves).
 
The Pioneers went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and have now killed off 17 consecutive infractions dating back to Nov. 19 versus Miami.
 
Minnesota Duluth goaltender Ryan Fanti made 21 saves on 26 shots in the loss. He entered the game with a 1.25 goals-against average and .946 save percentage.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Denver posted its second shutout of the season after defeating Air Force 8-0 on Oct. 16.
• Goaltender Magnus Chrona now ranks tied for 11th in program history with four career shutouts.
• Bobby Brink sets a new career long with a seven-game assist/point streak (3g/9a). His previous personal high came in the final of six games of 2019-20 (3g/4a).
• Cole Guttman's has two goals and six assists on his career-high seven-game point streak. His previous career long was from Dec. 7, 2019-Jan. 10, 2020 (6g/3a).
• Carter Mazur has six goals and six assists on his seven-game point streak.
• Mike Benning extended his career-long point streak to six games (2g/8a).

 
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
8:11 DU (1-0) – Shai Buium intercepted the puck off a UMD faceoff win, skated toward the slot and scored to open the game's scoring
17:32 DU (2-0) – Cole Guttman took drop passes from Carter Mazur and Bobby Brink and scored on a wrist shot from the left circle.
 
2nd Period
4:16 DU (3-0) – Mike Benning took Ryan Barrow's pass off the side wall, skated around a Duluth defender and scored far-side with a wrist shot.
7:42 DU (4-0) – Ryan Barrow scored on a one-timer from the left side off a pass from Brett Stapley after Kyle Mayhew kept the puck in at the right point.
16:31 DU (5-0) – Mike Benning took a faceoff win by Cole Guttman and found twine cleanly on a slap shot from the blue line.
 
3rd Period
No Scoring
 
 
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