Friday, October 2
Anchorage, Alaska
9 p.m. MT
University of Denver
1-0-0
6
at
2
Alaska Anchorage
0-1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| Alas. Anchorage | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Photo by: University of Denver Athletics
No. 1 Denver Opens Season With 6-2 Win at Alaska Anchorage
10/3/2026 12:15:00 AM | (1) Ice Hockey
Six Pioneers record multiple points
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The No. 1 University of Denver hockey team began the 2026-27 season on Friday night with a 6-2 victory over the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves at Sullivan Arena.
The defending national champion Pioneers are starting the season in Alaska for the third time in the last four seasons and second time in Anchorage after also beginning the 2024-25 campaign in the 49th state's largest city. DU and UAA wrap up their opening weekend series on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT, with the game being broadcast on the Alaska Anchorage Athletics' YouTube.
Freshman defenseman Daxon Rudolph, the highest NHL Draft pick in Denver hockey history after being selected No. 4 overall by the Buffalo Sabres this past summer, scored the first goal of the season for the Pioneers midway through the first period and added an assist later in the game to finish with a multi-point night.
Junior forward Jake Fisher scored twice for Denver while sophomore Clarke Caswell had three assists. Senior captain Kieran Cebrian and defenseman Cale Ashcroft each recorded a goal and an assist, and senior Sam Harris also scored.
The Seawolves' Tye Spencer tallied twice in the game, including the first tally of the new season just 1:41 into the contest.
Denver's offense came alive in the middle period as it netted four goals and led 5-2 at the second break. Cebrian buried a short-handed goal 1:15 into the frame, while Harris and Fisher each tallied markers in a matter 14 seconds to give the Pios back a multi-goal lead soon after Spencer scored his second of the game at 9:27.
Ashcroft also scored earlier in the second frame, while Fisher buried his second of the night at 10:39 of the third period to complete the scoring.
Goaltender and 2026 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player Johnny Hicks made 14 saves and 16 shots faced, and he remained unbeaten in his college career with a 17-0-1 record.
Denver finished with a 39-16 edge in shots, as UAA netminder William Gramme made 33 stops.
Alaska Anchorage finished 1-for-8 on the power play while DU didn't capitalize on any of its three man advantages.
UP NEXT: The Pioneers conclude their series at Alaska Anchorage on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT before returning home to take on the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team in an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Magness Arena. The regular season resumes for Denver on Oct. 16-17 as the squad welcomes Michigan to its home ice in a Frozen Four rematch.
POSTGAME NOTES
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
1:41 UAA (0-1) – Tye Spencer knocked in a rebound during a scramble around the crease.
10:35 DU (1-1) – Daxon Rudolph took a pass from the Cale Ashcroft and scored the first goal of the season for the Pioneers with a wrister from inside the left circle.
2nd Period
1:15 DU (2-1) – SHG, Brendan McMorrow won a puck battle from behind the net and fed the puck in front to Kieran Cebrian, who wristed the puck into the net from the slot.
6:12 DU (3-1) – Clarke Caswell passed the puck to the slot for Cale Ashcroft, who buried the puck into the net.
9:27 UAA (3-2) – PPG, Tyler Spencer scored from the right side.
10:58 DU (4-2) – Sam Harris hit twine with a wrist shot from the slot that went blocker side.
11:12 DU (5-2) – Jake Fisher took passes from Clarke Caswell and Kieran Cebrian and knocked in the puck while open at the left side.
3rd Period
10:39 DU (6-2) – Jake Fisher scored on a wrist shot from the left circle after taking a drop pass from James Reeder.
TICKETS: Single-game tickets, as well as mini plans and group packages are available. Click here to learn more.
The defending national champion Pioneers are starting the season in Alaska for the third time in the last four seasons and second time in Anchorage after also beginning the 2024-25 campaign in the 49th state's largest city. DU and UAA wrap up their opening weekend series on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT, with the game being broadcast on the Alaska Anchorage Athletics' YouTube.
Freshman defenseman Daxon Rudolph, the highest NHL Draft pick in Denver hockey history after being selected No. 4 overall by the Buffalo Sabres this past summer, scored the first goal of the season for the Pioneers midway through the first period and added an assist later in the game to finish with a multi-point night.
Junior forward Jake Fisher scored twice for Denver while sophomore Clarke Caswell had three assists. Senior captain Kieran Cebrian and defenseman Cale Ashcroft each recorded a goal and an assist, and senior Sam Harris also scored.
The Seawolves' Tye Spencer tallied twice in the game, including the first tally of the new season just 1:41 into the contest.
Denver's offense came alive in the middle period as it netted four goals and led 5-2 at the second break. Cebrian buried a short-handed goal 1:15 into the frame, while Harris and Fisher each tallied markers in a matter 14 seconds to give the Pios back a multi-goal lead soon after Spencer scored his second of the game at 9:27.
Ashcroft also scored earlier in the second frame, while Fisher buried his second of the night at 10:39 of the third period to complete the scoring.
Goaltender and 2026 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player Johnny Hicks made 14 saves and 16 shots faced, and he remained unbeaten in his college career with a 17-0-1 record.
Denver finished with a 39-16 edge in shots, as UAA netminder William Gramme made 33 stops.
Alaska Anchorage finished 1-for-8 on the power play while DU didn't capitalize on any of its three man advantages.
UP NEXT: The Pioneers conclude their series at Alaska Anchorage on Saturday at 7 p.m. MT before returning home to take on the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team in an exhibition on Saturday, Oct. 10 at Magness Arena. The regular season resumes for Denver on Oct. 16-17 as the squad welcomes Michigan to its home ice in a Frozen Four rematch.
POSTGAME NOTES
- Denver improved to 45-25-8 all-time in season openers and is unbeaten in its last six opening nights (5-0-1) dating back to 2021-22.
- The Pioneers were starting on the road for the fourth straight year, their longest such stretch since playing away from home in six consecutive seasons in 2001-02 (vs. Boston College in Alaska), 2002-03 (vs. Michigan State in Omaha), 2003-04 (vs. Ohio State in Dayton, Ohio), 2004-05 (vs. Minnesota in U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in St. Paul), 2005-06 (at Maine) and 2006-07 (at Miami in Ice Breaker Tournament).
- DU's eight freshmen made their collegiate debuts: Ryan Lin, Mikey Berchild, Jack Pridham, Daxon Rudolph, Max Heise, Ben MacBeath, Ryan Miller and Blake Fiddler.
- Daxon Rudolph recorded his first career point by scoring a goal and registered his first multi-point outing by also picking up an assist.
- Ryan Miller picked up his first point with an assist on Rudolph's goal.
- Dating back to last season, the Pioneers are unbeaten in 18 straight games (17-0-1) and have won 14 in a row.
- DU is now 52-17-7 all-time vs. UAA and 24-8-5 on the road in the series. The Pios are 15-3-2 in the past 20 meetings dating back to March 13, 2009.
- Jake Fisher scored twice for his first career multi-goal game and eighth career multi-point outing.
- Clarke Caswell recorded a career high in assists and points with three helpers. It was his sixth career multi-point game.
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
1:41 UAA (0-1) – Tye Spencer knocked in a rebound during a scramble around the crease.
10:35 DU (1-1) – Daxon Rudolph took a pass from the Cale Ashcroft and scored the first goal of the season for the Pioneers with a wrister from inside the left circle.
2nd Period
1:15 DU (2-1) – SHG, Brendan McMorrow won a puck battle from behind the net and fed the puck in front to Kieran Cebrian, who wristed the puck into the net from the slot.
6:12 DU (3-1) – Clarke Caswell passed the puck to the slot for Cale Ashcroft, who buried the puck into the net.
9:27 UAA (3-2) – PPG, Tyler Spencer scored from the right side.
10:58 DU (4-2) – Sam Harris hit twine with a wrist shot from the slot that went blocker side.
11:12 DU (5-2) – Jake Fisher took passes from Clarke Caswell and Kieran Cebrian and knocked in the puck while open at the left side.
3rd Period
10:39 DU (6-2) – Jake Fisher scored on a wrist shot from the left circle after taking a drop pass from James Reeder.
TICKETS: Single-game tickets, as well as mini plans and group packages are available. Click here to learn more.
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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 X
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_Hockey on Instagram
Players Mentioned
Defenseman
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Forward
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Forward
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Forward
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Defenseman
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Forward
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Forward
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Forward
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Goaltender
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Defenseman
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Defenseman
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Forward
/ (1) Ice Hockey
Forward
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Forward
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Forward
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Defenseman
/ (1) Ice HockeyTeam Stats
DEN
UAA
Shots
39
16
PPG
0
1
SHG
1
0
Penalties
9
9
Penalty Mins
34
34
Faceoffs Won
35
28
Game Leaders
+/-
2
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
3
+/-
2
Goals
2
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
4
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
1
+/-
2
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
1
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