DENVER – The No. 5 Denver Pioneers defeated the No. 15 Western Michigan Broncos 3-2 on Friday night in the 500th hockey game at Magness Arena.
 
The win stretched Denver's season-long home unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1) dating back to Dec. 2. It is the longest run by the Pioneers since winning seven straight contests from Jan. 7-Feb. 17, 2023.
 
"They put a lot of heat on you in transition, in their O-zone play," said Richard and Kitzia Goodman Hockey Head Coach David Carle. "I thought one of the biggest keys was only going on the penalty kill one time tonight. Thought that was huge. [Goaltender] Matty Davis was excellent sealing the ice, getting whistles for us. When things did break down, I thought we did a lot of good things. It got interesting at the end, for sure. [Western Michigan is] an excellent team, they make it really uncomfortable with their speed up the ice, and how they play on their offensive zone. They got some really good players."
 
DU (18-7-2, 9-5-1 NCHC) and WMU (15-9-1, 6-9-0 NCHC) wrap up their weekend set and four-game regular season series on Saturday at 6 p.m. MT. The game will be televised regionally on Altitude Sports and will also be available on NCHC.tv.
 
Junior defenseman Shai Buium recorded his seventh multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist, freshman Alex Weiermair tallied for the first time in his career and sophomore Jared Wright also found the back of the net.
 
Goaltender Matt Davis stopped a career-high 39 shots in the victory. Juniors Carter King and Massimo Rizzo, sophomores Kent Anderson and Tristan Lemyre and freshman Zeev Buium all contributed an assist in the contest.
 
The Pioneers led 2-0 after the first period as Wright opened the scoring with an outside wrister at 10:24, and Weiermair scored for the first time 3:27 later on a redirection off Lemyre's shot.
 
Luke Grainger knocked in a rebound in the second stanza for the Broncos, but Shai Buium pushed the Pios' advantage back to two with his sixth goal of the season with a point shot 68 seconds into the third period. Dylan Wendt tallied while Western had the extra attacker with 2:10 remaining in regulation to cut the deficit to one, but that was as close as Western got.
 
WMU outshot Denver 41-33 in the contest. Broncos goalie Cameron Rowe finished with 30 saves.
 
UP NEXT: The Pioneers and Broncos face off again on Saturday at 6 p.m. MT before DU goes on a bye week.
 
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Friday marked Denver hockey's 500th game at Magness Arena. DU owns a .714 winning percentage at its current home that opened in 1999, posting a 336-122-42 record.
• The Pioneers are now 51-9-1 in their last 63 games at Magness Arena.
• Denver has now won four straight games at home against Western Michigan and is 14-2-1 all-time against the Broncos at Magness Arena.
• WMU was making its first visit to Denver since Nov. 12-13, 2021, as the teams only played twice last season in Kalamazoo.
• The victory snaps DU's longest losing streak of the season (two games).
• Shai Buium scored and recorded his 50th career assist and stretched his point streak to four games (2g/4a). It was his seventh multi-point game of the season.
• Alex Weiermair scored his first career goal; he is the eighth Pioneer to tally his first in college hockey this season.
• Matt Davis made 39 saves on 41 shots faced, both career highs.
• Massimo Rizzo had an assist for his 125th career point, moving him into a tie with Bill Staub (1961-64) for 47th on the program's al-time scoring list.
• The Pioneers' one penalty and two penalty minutes were a season low.

 
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
10:24 DU (1-0) – Jared Wright went top shelf with a wrister at the right circle off a pass from Carter King.
13:51 DU (2-0) – Alex Weiermair redirected Tristan Lemyre's shot into the net for his first goal just seconds after a Denver power play expired.
 
2nd Period
12:35 WMU (2-1) – Luke Grainger knocked in a loose puck in the crease off a rebound.
 
3rd Period
1:08 DU (3-1) – Shai Buium scored on a wrister from the top of the left circle.
17:50 WMU (3-2) – Dylan Wendt tallied from the left circle while the Broncos had an extra attacker on the ice.
 
 
QUOTABLES
Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach David Carle
On the third line: "I thought Jared Wright was excellent to start the hockey game. Obviously the goal, making a few more plays off the rush as well, using his speed. [Sam Harris] too is a confident player right now, moving his feet. Carter King is who he is and has been excellent for us all year. Little snake bit tonight with the puck on his stick, but they were really good for us."
 
On adjusting the lineup mid-game after McKade Webster left with an injury: "We dressed 13 forwards tonight, so that made things a little bit easier. Just slid Rieger [Lorenz] up to that line and went with that. Keep everything else pretty much the same."
 
Sophomore Forward Jared Wright
On the game: "I think we were just moving our feet all the time. I mean we were pressuring pucks all over the place, and I think we did a good job of forcing turnovers. I think that led to chances for us so it was good the entire night."
 
On his goal: "We kind of just forced a turnover in the neutral zone, and then I was looking for the pass and it wasn't quite there with two guys in the middle there. I just decided to shoot it and fortunate enough it went in."
 
Junior Forward Carter King
On offensive production: "When you're playing with a guy as fast as Jared Wright, things are a lot easier. We've been playing together on a line for a while now. With Jerry (Wright), Rieger [Lorenz] and Sam [Harris] today, and I just feel like our chemistry is there. We've been playing fast and really making the defense uncomfortable."
 
On Sam Harris: "He plays a good, fast and a physical game. On the forecheck, he's not afraid to take the body and separate the man from the puck. That helps and gives you time away from the offensive zone, so I enjoy playing with him."
 

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