It was fitting that on the night that the University of Denver hockey team held its 75th Anniversary celebration that the Pioneers also added to their program record book.
 
Denver swept its final home non-conference series with back-to-back 4-1 victories on Friday and Saturday against Lindenwood University and improved to 10-0-0 on the campaign—marking the best start in DU history.
 
In front of approximately 150 alumni, the Pioneers broke the record for the most wins to begin a campaign after the 2001-02 squad won each of its first nine contests in that season.
 
"It's hard to break any records around here," said Denver Richard and Kitzia Goodman Hockey Head Coach David Carle. "We're fortunate to get off to the start that we have, and the guys have been playing well. Now it's getting into our conference season and the level of intensity and all of that is going to go up another level. I've been really proud of our start and excited to build on it."
 
DU has been the top-ranked team in the country all season in the polls that are voted on by select media members and coaches and have the stats to back it up after five weeks of play.
 
The Pioneers lead in the nation in both offense and defense, scoring 4.9 goals per game while only allowing 1.3 against. DU also ranks in the top 10 in the NCAA in power play (third), penalty kills (fifth), shooting percentage (third), save percentage (second), and shots for (sixth) and shots against per game (tied-second).
 
Denver hasn't allowed more than two goals against during its winning streak and has tallied at least four times in each contest.
 
"Sticking true to our process, working hard, coming into the rink with a grit attitude every day," said sophomore Sam Harris of the Pios' start to the season. "Leaning on each other when we need help and anything like that, like younger guys coming up to the older guys and everybody's communicating, so it's been a really good culture here."
 
While DU has already faced ranked opponents in Northeastern and Wisconsin this season and has played teams that are better than their record might indicate in Alaska Anchorage, Yale and Lindenwood, playing games against NCHC opponents are always challenging.
 
Denver begins conference play this weekend at long-time rival and No. 9-ranked North Dakota and have ranked opponents scheduled for eight of its next 10 contests through the start of the New Year.
 
It won't be easy for the Pioneers to continue this stretch that they're on, but if they can keep their streak going then they're on the verge of adding to their record books. DU has won 19 straight games dating back to last season on March 9 versus Colorado College, tying the mark for the most consecutive victories across multiple seasons that has occurred just twice before: Feb. 13-Dec. 13, 1960 and Jan. 13-Dec. 2, 1961.
 
If they can make it 20 wins in a row and do it at North Dakota, that will certainly be something Denver's alumni would be thrilled to celebrate.
 
"It's going to be a tough weekend," Harris said of upcoming matchup. "It's going to be a big test for our group, but I'm looking forward to it and just going to play harder than them."
 
ALSO STREAKING
 
While the team is on a streak to begin the season, so are forwards Carter King and Aidan Thompson.
 
King (two assists) and Thompson (goal and assist) had points in each game versus Lindenwood and stretched their season-opening point streaks to 10 games each. It is the longest of Thompson's career, while King's run is one game shy of matching his personal best from last season.
 
They are the longest campaign-starting streaks since Henrik Borgstrom had points in each of the first 11 games he played in 2017-18, registering 13 goals and nine assists from Oct. 13-Nov. 18, 2017. However, the forward did not play in the second game of the year on Oct. 14, 2017 at Notre Dame.
 
King and Thompson's linemate, Jack Devine, had points in each of the first eight games of the year before his career-long streak ended on Friday against the LU Lions. However, Devine was on the ice with and King and Thompson assisted on Rieger Lorenz' goal on Friday, and he was back on the scoresheet on Saturday.
 
TOP OF THE LEADERBOARD
 
A Denver skater is once again atop of the NCAA standings in goals, as sophomore Sam Harris moved past teammate Carter King to take the overall lead with nine markers in nine games played.
 
Harris scored three goals over the weekend versus Lindenwood, including two on Saturday for his fifth career multi-goal game and second of the season (Oct. 5 at Alaska Anchorage). For his performance, he was named NCHC Forward of the Week for the first time in his career.
 
"Just being harder at the net-front," said Harris of his increased goal total this year. "It is something I take pride in. Making sure I get in there and working harder than the guy defending me. It is something I put a lot of pride into."
 
King is still among the nation's leaders in goals as he is tied for third with seven tallies. Junior Aidan Thompson shares the spot with King for goals and is tied for first in the country in overall scoring with linemate Jack Devine with 17 points. Thompson has seven goals and 10 assists, while Devine has one goal and 16 assists.
 
ONE TIMERS

• Senior Matt Davis was named NCHC Goaltender of the Week, his first such award of the season.
• The Pioneers have had the lead or have been tied for nearly the entire season, as they've only trailed for 18:04 of game time this season.  DU didn't trail for the first 244:12 of the season (4+ games).
• DU improved to 4-0-0 all-time against Lindenwood, as the teams were meeting in just their second-ever series and first since prior to the Holiday Break in the 2022-23 season.

• Denver had its second 40-plus shot game of the year on Friday as it fired a season-high 46 shots on goal.
• The Pioneers scored three goals in a period in both games on Friday (2nd) and Saturday (3rd)
• Carter King skated in his 125th career contest on Saturday and Sam Harris appeared in his 50th career game on Friday night.
• Samu Salminen won a career-high 17 faceoffs on Friday.
• Peter LaJoy made his NCAA debut on Saturday night.
• DU has scored on the power play in seven-straight games, its longest run since doing it in eight consecutive contests from Dec. 8, 2023-Jan. 20, 2024. Denver is converting on 34.8 percent of its power plays.
• The Pioneers have killed off 93.1 percent of its penalties this season (26/28), including all four man-disadvantage opportunities last weekend against Lindenwood.
• Denver's senior class has 103 career victories, which puts them in in a four-way tie for the fourth-most in program history that includes last year's seniors.
• Forward Jack Devine moved into the top 50 among scorers all-time in DU history with 123 points (45g/78a), tied with Tyler Ruegsegger (2006-10) and Jim Smith (1982-86). He is one point from tying Perry Schnarr for 49th and two away from sharing 48th place with Bill Staub. Former teammate Massimo Rizzo (2021-2024) is in a four-way tie for 44th with 126 career points.
• The Pioneers rank third in the nation by winning 57.0 percent of their faceoffs this season. Carter King leads Denver in faceoff wins (133) and percentage (.619), while Kieran Cebrian is second with 99 draw victories and a 59.3-percent success rate. 

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