DENVER – The No. 5 Denver Pioneers lost 7-2 to the No. 15 Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday night in the series finale at Magness Arena.
 
Defenseman Shai Buium tallied just 37 seconds into the game for the fastest goal start a period this season for the Pioneers (18-8-2, 9-6-1 NCHC), but the Broncos (16-9-1, 7-9-0 NCHC) answered with five unanswered marker en route to earning the weekend split. Denver won 3-2 on Friday night.
 
"I liked our start to the game. I liked what we did with some things in the first period, but they executed and I think as the game wore on, especially into the second, our reloads, our effort, started to diminish," said Richard and Kitzia Goodman Hockey Head Coach David Carle. "It clearly wasn't good enough. I appreciate the effort in the third that many guys exerted. But through and through, not good enough."

Forward Tristan Broz notched his 10th goal of the season eight seconds into a power play at 6:53 of the third period that made it a 5-2 game at that point before WMU added two more.
 
Junior Jack Devine had two assists and freshman Boston Buckberger and junior Massimo Rizzo also recorded a helper apiece.
 
Goaltender Matt Davis started for Denver and made 12 saves in 25:48 of work. Freshman Paxton Geisel entered in relief after Western took a 5-1 lead and finished with 11 stops.
 
Dylan Wendt broke a 1-1 tied off a DU turnover with 4:17 left in the first period and Sam Colangelo tallied off a redirection less that two minutes later to give the Broncos a 3-1 advantage at the intermission.
 
Western Michigan added two more tallies in both the second and third, including Colangelo burying his second of the night at 11:15 of the third to push the lead to 7-2 and complete a three-point night (two goals, one assist).
 
Goaltender Cameron Rowe made 25 saves in the victory for WMU, which outshot the Pios 30-27
 
The Broncos finished 0-for-2 on the power play, while the Pioneers tallied on their lone chance with the man advantage.
 
UP NEXT: Denver now heads on its final bye week of the season, as the team next plays at Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 16-17. The Pioneers are back home on Feb. 23-24 against Miami.
 
 
POSTGAME NOTES

• Shai Buium scored for the second consecutive game for the first time in his career.
• Buium's goal at 0:37 of the first period was the fastest goal to begin a game and start a period this season. DU's previous fastest goal to start a contest was at 1:29 by Miko Matikka on Jan. 6 vs. Niagara and the fastest to start a period was also by Matikka at 0:43 in the second on Dec. 9 at Western Michigan.
• Buium is also now on a five-game point streak (3g/4a) and has 10 points in his last eight games (3g/7a)
• Freshman goaltender Paxton Geisel played his first home game
• The loss ended Denver's season-long home unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1) dating back to Dec. 2. It was the longest run by the Pioneers since winning seven straight contests from Jan. 7-Feb. 17, 2023.
• DU had its four-game home winning streak against Western Michigan end and the team dropped to 14-3-1 all-time against the Broncos at Magness Arena.
• Massimo Rizzo had an assist for his 126th career point, moving him into a tie for 44th on the program's al-time scoring list.

QUOTABLES
Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach David Carle
On WMU winning more faceoffs: "It was not close in the circle. No way about it. It led to a lot more possession for them. Their forecheck was good. Their possession game was good. It's hard to start with the puck that infrequent. It was better in the second, but not close or good enough."
 
On moving forward after the loss: "Like anything, I think we'll use the adversity the best we can to propel us. Things have not been easy in the second half. They will not be easier from here, and that's going to prepare us and make us better. We need to look ourselves in the mirror, and we have the bye week to do that and come into the stretch run on our toes and playing our best hockey."


GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
0:37 DU (1-0) – Shai Buium chipped the puck into the net with his backhand after it came loose in the low slot.
6:30 WMU (1-1) – Joe Cassetti scored on a wraparound.
15:43 WMU (1-2) – Dylan Wendt took advantage of a DU giveaway and scored with a wrister on a 2-on-1 rush.
17:27 WMU (1-3) – Sam Colangelo redirected Cedric Fiedler's shot from point after the Pioneers failed to clear the puck out of their zone.
 
2nd Period
3:24 WMU (1-4) – Chad Hillebrand scored in front off a cross pass from Carter Berger.
5:48 WMU (1-5) – Matteo Costantini buried a shot in front.
 
3rd Period
6:53 DU (2-5) – PPG, Tristan Broz tallied eight seconds into a power play after a cross-feed from Jack Devine.
10:12 WMU (2-6) – Alex Bump scored on a wrister during a rush.
11:15 WMU (2-7) – Sam Colangelo hit twine with a wrist shot after receiving a pass through the slot by Chad Hillebrand.
 

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