False alarm.
After three subpar performances to begin the season, the “back-to-back” moniker that the University of Denver hockey team is so proud of needed to be backed up – and soon.
Not to worry. The Pioneers proved Saturday night that, yes, they’re back.
The two-time defending NCAA champions returned to familiar form in their home opener against Notre Dame, answering early season critics with four special-team goals and an impressive 6-3 victory over the Fighting Irish at Magness Arena.
Two losses at Maine and a disappointing and perhaps lucky 4-2 win Friday night at Air Force led some to believe that DU’s two-year reign was over. But the Pioneers (2-2) evened their record and reminded a sellout crowd of 6,063 that a three-peat is possible behind typical efforts from their three offensive stars.
Centers Gabe Gauthier and Paul Stastny and defenseman Matt Carle – each without a goal coming into the game – notched DU’s first three goals and finished with a combined six assists. Freshman Brock Trotter added the second and third goals of his career and sophomore Ryan Dingle of Steamboat Springs increased his scoring streak to three games.
Gauthier and Dingle scored in short-handed situations to give DU 2-0 and 6-2 leads.
“We were very unhappy with our performance and our approach to the game (Friday) night, and really licking our wounds,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “We haven’t played very well over the (first) three games and we put ourselves in a real bad position (Friday) night.”
Denver was only 2-of-24 on the power play after Friday’s scare at Air Force, which controlled everything but the score. But the Pioneers’ power play was awesome against Notre Dame, finishing 2-of-10 but looking stellar. The Pioneers scored their first goal one second after an Irish penalty expired.
Carle, last season’s national defenseman of the year, quarterbacks the No. 1 power play beside freshman defenseman Chris Butler, and with Gauthier, Stastny and Trotter down low.
Carle’s roofed wrist shot made it 1-0 just 3:28 into the game – a second after Tom Sawatske was released from the penalty box. Gauthier’s short-handed goal off a 2-on-1 rush feed from J.D. Corbin of Littleton doubled DU’s lead 9:22 into the second period.
Notre Dame solved DU goalie Peter Mannino (16 saves) at 10:46 and 14:08 of the second period to trim DU leads to 2-1 and 3-2, but the second of two consecutive Trotter goals put DU ahead 5-2 early in the third.
“That was a huge steppingstone for us tonight, especially with the way we played (Friday) night,” Carle said. “To come out and put six goals in gives us confidence in our offense again.”
Denver Post three stars
1. Matt Carle. The Pioneers’ junior co-captain contributed a goal and three assists in the home opener.
2. Gabe Gauthier. DU’s senior co-captain had a goal and two assists.
3. Paul Stastny. Sophomore got his first goal and added an assist.
What you might have missed
Irish freshman Christian Hanson is the son of Dave Hanson, one of the three Hanson brothers in the movie “Slap Shot.” Christian is a 6-foot-4 center from Venetia, Pa., who does not wear black-framed glasses.
Next
Friday, at North Dakota.
Notre Dame 0 2 1 – 3
Denver 1 3 2 – 6
First period – 1, Denver, Carle 1 (Butler, Trotter), 3:28 (pp). Penalties – Darcy, ND (checking from behind), 1:27; Stastny, DU (hooking), 1:35; Sawatske, ND (holding), 2:47; Marcuzzi, DU (holding), 9:21; Condra, ND (tripping), 10:40; Corbin, DU (roughing), 17:24; Gill, ND (interference), 19:20.
Second period – 2, Denver, Gauthier 2 (Corbin, Carle), 9:22 (sh). 3, Notre Dame, O’Neill 1 (Condra, Sciba), 10:46 (pp). 4, Denver, Stastny 1 (Gauthier, Carle), 13:08 (pp). 5, Notre Dame, Sciba 1 (Condra), 14:08. 6, Denver, Trotter 2 (Stastny, Carle), 14:43 (pp). Penalties – Thomas, DU (interference), 2:25; Thomas, DU (high sticking), 9:12; O’Leary, DU (tripping), 10:22; Trick, ND (hooking), 11:22; Amado, ND (slashing), 14:22; Helgason, DU (checking from behind, game misconduct), 18:38.
Third period – 7, Denver, Trotter 3 (Thomas, Gauthier), 5:52. 8, Denver, Dingle 3 (unassisted), 11:55 (sh). 9, Notre Dame, Babin 1 (O’Neill, Condra), 15:09 (pp).
Penalties – Wallace, ND (holding), 1:47; Amado, ND (roughing), 7:30; O’Leary, DU (roughing), 7:30; Paukovich, DU (roughing), 10:32; Blom, DU (holding), 14:48; Hanson, ND (cross checking), 15:47; Paige, ND (interference), 15:56.
Shots on goal – ND 8-6-5-19. DU 10-7-6-23. Power play opportunities – ND 2 of 8. DU 2 of 10. Goalies – ND, Pearce (0-1) 23 shots-17 saves. DU, Mannino (1-1) 19-16. A – 6,063.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
