KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The No. 9 University of Denver hockey team is back on the road this weekend as the Pioneers travel to Lawson Arena to take on the No. 4 Broncos of Western Michigan in a two-game series to start NCHC play. 
 
Friday's game is set for 5 p.m. MT, and Saturday's puck drop is set for 4 p.m. MT. Both games will be broadcast on NCHC.tv. 
 
This weekend marks a rematch from last season's NCAA Frozen Four matchup that saw the Broncos win 3-2 in double overtime on April 10. WMU went on to win its first team national championship two days later with a 6-2 victory against Boston University. 
 
Denver stands at 4-3-1 this year after splitting with Alaska Anchorage last week. Friday's Halloween game ended tied at 3-3 after regulation, with both teams scoring a goal per period. Rieger Lorenz, Kieran Cebrian and James Reeder each netted one for the Pios, with Reeder tallying with 80 seconds left in the third period and with the goaltender pulled. Despite DU outshooting UAA 49-20 in the game, the Seawolves took the win after tallying at 3:55 of the 3-on-3 OT period. 
 
The following night, the Pios shut out Alaska 6-0 to end the weekend on a high note. Four of the six goals came on the power play. Reeder hit the back of the net twice and earned a helper, while freshman Kristian Epperson also scored twice for his first multi-goal game and first game-winning goal. Boston Buckberger matched a career high with three assists, two of which aided Epperson's tallies. DU outshot Anchorage 49-17, with goalie Quentin Miller stopping every shot for his second shutout of the season. 
 
Western Michigan enters the series with a 5-3-0 record after splitting with St. Cloud State last weekend. The Broncos took the 6-5 win on Friday night but fell 5-1 on Saturday in Minnesota. WMU has split three of its four weekend series so far this season. 
 
The Pios hold the all-time series lead against the Broncos at 26-16-2 and are 9-11-0 when in Kalamazoo. Denver is 5-5-0 in the last 10 meetings against Western and is 10-6-1 in the past 17 matchups. 
 
Three of the team's four games in 2024-25 needed overtime, with Carter King tallying the game-winner for the Pioneers in the last meeting at Lawson Arena on Jan. 7, 2025. 
 
DU is the only NCHC squad that has yet to begin conference play. The Pioneers have won each of their last three conference openers dating back to 2022-23. 
 
 
LAST TIME OUT: The then-No. 6 Pioneers split their home series against Alaska Anchorage, falling 4-3 in overtime on Friday before winning 6-0 in a shutout on Saturday. It was the first full weekend series at Magness Arena for Denver as the school was celebrating homecoming.
 
Rieger Lorenz scored on a penalty shot in the third period and James Reeder tallied with the goaltender pulled with 80 seconds left in the third period on Friday, but Dimitry Kebreau scored the overtime-winning marker with 1:05 remaining in the 3-on-3 period.  Reeder netted two markers and added an assist on Saturday and was joined in a three-point game by Boston Buckberger (three assists).  DU scored four power-play goals in the contest, with freshman Kristian Epperson netting two, and goaltender Quentin Miller stopped all 17 shots for the team's second home shutout of the year.
 
COACH CARLE CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Head coach David Carle won his 183rd career game on Saturday against Alaska Anchorage to surpass Ralph Backstrom (182) for sole possession of third place on the program's all-time wins list.  Only the legendary Murray Armstrong (460) and George Gwozdecky (443) have more victories than Carle in school history.
 
Overall, Carle owns a .691 career winning percentage—the highest mark by any coach in program history and entered the season with the second-highest (.694) among active NCAA coaches (Greg Brown, Boston College, .697).
 
In 2024-25, Carle won his 150th career game on Oct. 6, 2024 in his hometown against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves and coached in his 250th contest on Jan. 25, 2025 at Minnesota Duluth.  The Anchorage, Alaska, native reached the 150-win mark in his 228th game behind the bench (seventh season), the second-fastest among DU coaches with only Armstrong doing it faster in 216 contests (seventh season).  Additionally, his .696 winning percentage through his first 250 games (166-68-16) was the second-best mark among all coaches behind only Armstrong's .728.
 
POWERING UP: The Pioneers scored a season-high four power-play goals on Saturday against Alaska Anchorage, the most in a game since DU also tallied four times on the man advantage on Oct. 5, 2024 at UAA in last year's season opener.  Denver scored those four man-up markers on seven opportunities, also a season-most.
 
DU tallied three times on the power play in the third period, its most man-advantage goals in a frame since also netting three in the third stanza three power-play goals in a period was March 16, 2025 vs. Colorado College in Game 3 of the NCHC Quarterfinals.
 
Additionally, Kristian Epperson at the end of a 5-on-3 (11:14) and Eric Pohlkamp (11:32) each tallied on the man advantage in a matter of 18 seconds of one another in the middle second period.  It was the fastest two markers scored by DU since James Reeder and Boston Buckberger tallied in a 16-second span on Feb. 1, 2025 vs. Omaha.
 
PENALTY SHOT SCORE: Forward Rieger Lorenz scored the first penalty shot goal by a Denver player in nearly 23 years after tallying in the second period on Friday against Alaska Anchorage. Jon Foster was the last Pioneer to tally on a penalty shot, as he accomplished the feat on Nov. 30, 2022 versus Air Force.
 
Lorenz received the chance after having his stick slashed on a one-on-one opportunity and tallied on a backhand shot. Carter Mazur had DU's previous penalty shot attempt on Feb. 12, 2022 against Minnesota Duluth (no goal).
 
SHOTS ON SHOTS ON SHOTS: Denver fired 49 shots on goal in each game of last weekend's series against Alaska Anchorage and finished with a combined total of 98-37.  It was the most shots by DU in a two-game series since outshooting Arizona State 99-40 on Dec. 2-3, 2022.
 
The Pioneers rank second in the country at 42.4 shots per game and has fired 40 or more shots in four contests so far this season.
 
DU had a 35-14 edge in shots on goal at Northeastern on Oct. 25 and only allowed two shots on goal in the first period, the fewest in a stanza since also allowing just two shots on goal in the second on Oct. 5, 2024 at Alaska Anchorage.  On Oct. 18, Denver outshot Lindenwood 49-19 on, which included by a 19-4 margin.  The plus-15 shot differential was the highest in a single period this season. 
 
The Pioneers began the season on Oct. 10 by outshooting the Air Force Falcons 59-24, the team's most shots on goal since firing 66 against Lake Superior State on Oct. 20, 2017.  Denver's plus-35 shot differential was its highest since having a plus-36 differential on Dec. 2, 2022 vs. ASU (56-20), and the 22 shots on goal in the third were its most in a single frame since having 23 in the second period on Nov 3, 2023 vs. Colorado College.
 
Denver's season high for shots on goal last season were 46 on Nov. 8, 2024 vs. Lindenwood, and the previous time the Pios had 50 or more shots on net was when they had 56 on Dec. 2, 2022 vs. Arizona State.
 
PENALTY KILL DELIVERING: Denver killed off 7-of-8 penalties last weekend against Alaska Anchorage, including going a season-best 5-for-6 on Friday.
 
The Pioneers were the only school in the country that had started their season and had not allowed a power-play goal before UAA scored on a five-minute major in the first period on Friday. DU had killed off all 13 infractions through the first six games (Oct. 10-25) and has now nullified each of its last seven fouls.
 
Denver presently ranks third in the nation on the PK at 95.2 percent.  The Pioneers finished with an 81.7-percent success rate on the kill last season and killed off 17 straight penalties across five games from Oct. 5-25, 2024.
 
NOTABLES

• Boston Buckberger's three assists on Saturday tied career highs for assists (second time) and points (third time).  It was the first three-assist contest since Cale Ashcroft and Jack Devine both had a trio of helpers on March 16, 2025 vs. Colorado College in Game 3 of the NCHC Quarterfinals.

• James Reeder registered his second career two-goal game and matched his career high with three points. He last achieved both marks on Feb. 1, 2025 vs. Omaha (2g/1a).

• DU has now had four different players record three points in a game this season, including three defensemen (Boston Buckberger, Nov. 1 vs. UAA; Eric Jamieson & Eric Pohlkamp, Oct. 11 vs. Bentley).

• Freshman Kristian Epperson scored twice on Saturday for his first career multi-goal and multi-point game and also registered his first career game-winning tally.

• DU recorded its third team shutout of the season on Saturday and its second at home (Oct. 11 vs. Bentley), with freshman goalie Quentin Miller picking up his second career clean sheet (Oct. 18 at Lindenwood).

• Kristian Epperson (11:14) and Eric Pohlkamp's (11:32) power-play goals in a matter of 18 seconds of one another in the second period were the fastest two markers by DU since James Reeder and Boston Buckberger tallied in a 16-second span on Feb. 1, 2025 vs. Omaha.

• Eric Pohlkamp fired eight shots on goal on Saturday, tied for the most by a DU player this season and the most in his career as a Pioneer.

• Jake Fisher played in his 50th career game on Saturday, the second member of Denver's sophomore class to reach the milestone.

• Reid Varkonyi registered his first career point with an assist on Friday

• The Pioneers scored their second pulled-goalie goal of the season on Friday with James Reeder's tally at 18:40 of the third period (Hagen Burrows, Oct. 17 at Lindenwood).

• Denver was hosting a home game on Halloween for the first time ever and was playing on the date for the first time since 2015 at Boston University. DU is now 4-8-2 all-time on Oct. 31.

• UAA scored the first power-play goal against DU this season on Friday coming on a five-minute major penalty. Denver had killed off each of its first 13 infractions in the first six games of the season.

• The Pioneers are now 51-17-7 all-time against the Seawolves and 28-8-2 in home games in the series.

• Alaska Anchorage was making its first visit to Magness Arena since March 8-10, 2013 when the Pioneers and Seawolves were each league members of the old WCHA.

 
HISTORY VS. WESTERN: Denver and Western Michigan get set for a rematch of last season's epic postseason matchups, after Western Michigan won 4-3 in double overtime in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Game on March 22 in St Paul, Minnesota, and 3-2 in double-OT again in the NCAA Frozen Four Semifinals on April 10 in St. Louis, Missouri.  DU and WMU will meet four times this season, with the Pioneers hosting a series at Magness Arena on Jan. 9-10.  Denver went 1-3-0 last year against Western Michigan, with its victory coming on Jan. 7, 2024 after Carter King scored in overtime at Lawson Arena.  DU is 5-5-0 in the last 10 meetings and is 10-6-1 in the past 17 matchups.  Dating back to Nov. 26-27, 1982, the Pioneers lead the all-time series at 27-16-2, with them going 14-3-1 at home at Magness Arena and sporting a 9-11 mark at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo.  The Pios are 22-12-2 in conference games since both teams joined the NCHC in 2023, and Denver holds a 4-2-1 edge in neutral-site contests versus the Broncos.
 
PREVIOUS MEETING (APRIL 10, 2025): The No. 3-seed Pioneers rallied from two goals down in the third period to force extra time, but Denver lost 3-2 in double overtime to the No. 4-overall seed Western Michigan Broncos in the NCAA Frozen Four national semifinals on Thursday evening at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.  Junior forwards Aidan Thompson and Jared Wright scored in the third period to push the game beyond regulation, as Thompson cut DU's deficit to 2-1 at 6:49 and Wright tallied on a scramble with 2:39 remaining in the stanza.  Defensemen Cale Ashcroft, Garrett Brown and Eric Pohlkamp recorded assists.  Senior goaltender Matt Davis made 44 saves, including stopping all 12 in the first period and denying 18-of-20 shots in the second.  Owen Michaels netted two goals for WMU, including the game-winner just 26 seconds into the second overtime.  The Pioneers reached the Frozen Four for the third time in four years, and they were making their sixth trip in the last nine full seasons.
 
CONNECTIONS: Equipment Manager Nick Meldrum is from Warren, Mich., graduated from Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie in 2007 and spent two years with the U.S. NTDP when it was in Ann Arbor prior to coming to DU … Kristian Epperson and Brendan McMorrow both played at the U.S. National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich., from 2022-2024 … Denver's Kent Anderson, Eric Jamieson and Rieger Lorenz and Western's Sam Huck are all from Calgary, Alberta … Huck previously played with Brendan McMorrow with the USHL Waterloo Black Hawks in 2024-25 and with Rieger Lorenz with the AJHL Okotoks Oilers in 2021-22 … Paxton Geisel began the 2023-24 season with the USHL Muskegon Lumberjacks and was a teammate that year with WMU's Ty Henricks ... Geisel was also teammates on the USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints with Samuel Sjolund in 2021-22 and with Owen Michaels in 2022-23 … James Reeder played with Joona Vaisanen at Dubuque in 2023-24 … Jake Fisher won the USHL Clark Cup championship with Iiro Hakkarainen and Hampton Slukynsky on the Fargo Force in 2023-24 … Eric Jamieson and Tyler MacKenzie were teammates last season with the WHL Everett Silvertips … Garrett Brown played with Zach Bade on the USHL Waterloo Black Hawks at the end of the 2022-23 season … Boston Buckberger was a teammate of Cole Crusberg-Roseen with the USHL Lincoln Stars in 2022-23 … Zach Sharp skated with Sam Harris with the USHL Sioux Falls Stampede to begin 2022-23 before finishing the campaign with Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and was a teammate there with Eric Pohlkamp … Hampton Slukynsky won the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal on Team USA with David Carle serving as head coach … DU's Samu Salminen (Helsinki) and WMU's Iiro Hakkarainen (Espoo) and Joona Vaisanen (Kirkkonummi) are all from Finland … Sam Harris (San Diego) and Ty Henricks (Mission Viejo) are both from Southern California, while James Reeder (Glenview) and Owen Michaels (Naperville) are from the Chicagoland area … Zaccharya Wisdom played the previous two seasons in Colorado at Colorado College.
 
SCOUTING THE BRONCOS: The defending national champion Western Michigan Broncos are 5-3-0 overall to start the season and rank No. 4 in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey polls that were released on Monday.  WMU began the season with a home-and-home series split against Ferris State before sweeping UMass Lowell on the road on Oct. 17-18.  The Broncos split another home-and-home against in-state foe Michigan on Oct. 23-24, with both teams winning on home ice.  Western Michigan began NCHC play last weekend at St. Cloud State, earning a 6-5 win on Friday before losing 5-1 to the Huskies on Saturday.  WMU is once again led by sophomore goalie Hampton Slukynsky, a member of Team USA gold-medal winning squads at both the 2025 IIHF World Championship and U20 World Junior Championship.  The Los Angeles Kings draft pick has started every contest, going 5-3-0 with a 2.91 goals-against average, .883 save percentage and one shutout.  Offensively, the Broncos are led by Hampton's brother, Grant Slukynsky, who leads the team with 11 points on two goals and nine assists.  William Whitelaw paces the team in goals with five and ranks second in points with eight having also added three assists this year.
 
ROAD WARRIORS: Denver is playing 10 of its first 14 games on the road and wrapped up a season-long, four-game road swing from Oct. 17-26 at Lindenwood, Boston College and Northeastern.  DU played five of its first six outings and will play 12 of its first 19 contests away from Magness Arena going into the Holiday Break in December.
 
The Pioneers open 2026 with two, season-long, four-game homestands in the month of January and will host at Magness for nine-of-12 contests from Jan. 2-Feb. 7.
 
PIONEERS IN THE POLLS: Denver ranks No. 9 in this week's USCHO.com poll and is at No. 11 in the latest USA Hockey poll after both rankings were released on Monday. The Pioneers began the year at No. 4 on each preseason list.
 
The NCHC's five and six ranked teams, respectively, are the second-most in each poll, and its four in the top 10 in the USCHO.com poll is tied with the Big Ten for the most.  Joining DU  in the polls are Western Michigan at No. 4/4, Minnesota Duluth at No. 7/7, North Dakota at No. 8 and Colorado College at No.20/19. Additionally, Miami was ranked at No. 20 on the USA Hockey list.  The other three league members—Arizona State, Omaha and St. Cloud State—also received votes among the electorate.
 
MILLER TIME: Freshman goaltender Quentin Miller began his collegiate career with a three-game unbeaten streak, going 2-0-1 in games on Oct. 10 at Air Force (1-1 tie), Oct. 18 at Lindenwood (4-0 win) and Oct. 24 at Boston College (7-3 win) and registering an overall shutout streak of 117:17.  Magnus Chrona was the last DU netminder to go unbeaten in his first three career starts, as he won his first seven outings to begin the 2019-20 campaign.
 
Miller's first career victory came in a 19-save shutout and a 4-0 victory at Lindenwood on Oct. 18.  Posting a shutout for your first NCAA win hasn't been an uncommon occurrence in recent years for the Pioneers, as Matt Davis recorded a clean sheet in his first career start on Oct. 16, 2021 vs. Air Force (25 saves) and Freddie Halyk did the same in his win against Air Force on Oct. 28, 2023 (24 saves).
 
CASWELL CONNECTING: Freshman Clarke Caswell began his collegiate career with points in each of the first five games and ranks second on the team with eight points (2g/6a). 
 
Caswell scored his first NCAA tally in the season opener on Oct. 10 at Air Force and recorded his first career multi-point game with two assists on Oct. 11 vs. Bentley.
 
MONTH BY MONTH: Denver finished October with a 3-3-1 mark so far this season for the program's 30th consecutive full month with at least a .500 record or better dating back to January 2021.
 

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