DENVER –  The No. 1 University of Denver hockey team found its offensive touch on Saturday night as the Pioneers defeated the Omaha Mavericks 6-3 at Magness Arena to split the weekend series.
 
Denver (10-4-0, 6-2-0 NCHC) responded from a shutout loss on Friday by having five different goal scorers and 11 players earn a point in the victory.
 
"That was our focus, just playing Denver hockey," said Pioneers captain Justin Lee. "We kind of got away from it last night, but we had a good answer tonight. Just trying to play our game and pucks were going in for us."

Defenseman Mike Benning led the Pioneers with two goals, while Tristan Broz, Casey Dornbach and Aidan Thompson each contributed a goal and an assist. Massimo Rizzo also found the back of the net, and DU goaltender Magnus Chrona made 23 saves.
 
Tied 1-1 after the first period, Benning and Rizzo scored twice in a matter of 19 seconds early in the middle frame to give the Pios the advantage, and Dornbach tallied his sixth marker of the year with 8:16 left before the intermission in what ended up as the game-winner.
 
Omaha (6-6-2, 2-3-1 NCHC) responded with a goals late in the second and early in the third, but Broz recorded his second tally as a Pioneer during a power play at 11:37 of the final stanza to give Denver some insurance on the scoreboard.
 
The Pioneers outshot the Mavericks 35-26 in the game, as Omaha netminder Jake Kucharski made 29 saves. Jack Randl scored twice for the Mavs, while Matt Miller had three points (1g/2a) and Ty Mueller registered two helpers.
 
This weekend marked the only two meetings of the regular season between the NCHC foes, as Omaha is the only conference opponent that Denver won't visit in 2022-23.
 
UP NEXT: DU wraps up its four-game homestand next weekend as the team hosts the Arizona State Sun Devils in a pair of non-conference outings on Friday and Saturday.
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• DU is now 37-13-5 overall and 22-4-2 at home in the all-time series vs. Omaha.
• The Pioneers wrapped up a stretch of playing eight straight conference games, going 6-2-0 in those contests.
• Denver's two goals in 19 seconds at 3:49 and 4:08 of the second period marked the squad's fastest two markers of the year (Previous: 0:45, Oct. 7 vs. Notre Dame).
• The Pioneers' six goals for tied a season high, while the nine combined goals were also tied for the most in a game this year (both in a 6-3 win at North Dakota on Nov. 12).
• Mike Benning recorded his first multi-goal game of the season and the fifth of his career.
• Tristan Broz, Jack Devine and Carter King all played in their 50th career game.
• Casey Dornbach scored his first game-winner as a Pioneer and the seventh of his career.
• Denver honored the late Peter McNab by were No. 15 decals on the players' helmets and had his brother, David, drop the puck as part of a pregame ceremony.

GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
5:36 DU (1-0) – Mike Benning received a cross pass from Jared Wright and tallied on a shot that went over the left shoulder of the Omaha goalie
10:31 UNO (1-1) – Jack Randle took a pass from below the goal line from Matt Miller and scored from the right side.
 
2nd Period
3:49 DU (2-1) – Mike Benning stole the puck at the Omaha blue line and buried a wrist shot from the high slot.
4:08 DU (3-1) – Massimo Rizzo's shot from the right circle deflected off the goaltender's shoulder, fell behind him and trickled across the goal line.
11:44 DU (4-1) – Casey Dornbach scored on a shot from the left circle that went off iron and in.
19:25 UNO (4-2) – PPG, Jack Randl buried his second goal of the game into an open net after a cross pass during a rush up the ice.
 
3rd Period
0:32 UNO (4-3) – Matt Miller took a centering pass and tapped in the puck during a drive to the net.
11:37 DU (5-3) – PPG, Tristan Broz buried a snap-shot into an open net off a feed from Jack Devine.
18:49 DU (6-3) – ENG, Aidan Thompson scored into an empty net from 100-feet away.
 
QUOTABLES
Defenseman Justin Lee
On what changed from Friday's loss: "A lot went into our preparation today. We're just trying to take it shift by shift. Do what we can and have a good work ethic out there and execute our plays."
 
On Friday's loss being a good thing for the team in the long run: "We're going to get everyone's best game and you can't take anyone lightly. Everyone is a good team and has a chance to beat you every night, so I think tonight was good for us to answer back like that."
 
Defenseman Mike Benning
On getting back to the team's game: "We didn't play our game yesterday, and I think we wanted to play Denver hockey today and show them what we're all about. This is the last time we'll meet them in the regular season, so we should give them the best."
 
On his first goal early in the first period: "Jared Wright gave me a nice pass and I had to pick a spot, and I think that was huge for us to get us going. It brought energy to the building. It brough energy to the bench, and after that the guys were rolling."

 
TICKETS: Single-game tickets and five-game packs are on sale now. Click here for more.
 
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Hockey on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_Hockey on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Hockey on Instagram