There was solidification Saturday at Magness Arena, where the leap from good to great was made by the University of Denver hockey team.
The decisive 5-1 victory capped the Pioneers’ first four-game regular-season sweep over longtime rival Minnesota. The No. 2-ranked Pioneers methodically played like NCAA title contenders behind Hobey Baker Award candidates Marc Cheverie (32 saves) and Rhett Rakhshani (two assists) and burgeoning superstar Joe Colborne (three goals).
“If we keep playing like this, it’s going to take a pretty good team to beat us,” said Cheverie, who limited the Gophers to just two goals in this weekend’s two-game set. “Everyone was going tonight. Fourth-line to first line, all the “D.” It was awesome.”
Cheverie, who leads the nation with six shutouts, improved to 17-3-3 and leads the NCAA with a .939 save percentage. He allowed a power-play goal by Gophers co-captain Tony Lucia with just 39 seconds to play. It was Minnesota’s first man-advantage goal in 23 opportunities against DU this season.
“I think they’re the best team we’ve played this year,” Minnesota coach Don Lucia said of the Pioneers, who won their sixth consecutive game and sit atop the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with six games to play — and two games in hand over second-place St. Cloud State. “(Cheverie) has been lights out against us, and probably the best player in our league. They’re very good defensively and have top-end talent, and their role players don’t need to score for them to be successful (because) their top guys bring it game in and game out.”
Lucia was referring to, among others, Rakhshani and Colborne, who play on a line centered by senior Tyler Ruegsegger. The trio helped produce five of DU’s eight goals in the series, including all three in Friday’s 3-1 win.
In Game 2, Rakhshani assisted on two Colborne power- play goals to up his team-scoring lead to 39 points, and Colborne added a short-handed goal for his first career hat trick.
The red-hot Colborne extended his career-best scoring streak to 12 games (10 goals).
“I’m just playing with two of the top guys in the country. That’s all I can say,” Colborne said. “They’re making me look real good out there.”
The Pioneers (20-6-4, 14-4-4 WCHA) have won 20 games for a ninth-consecutive season and have produced at least 19 victories in the last 10.
“We certainly wanted it tonight,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “There is no question, to be the only team to accomplish what was at stake, I think the guys wanted to be part of history . . . to be the first team to (finish 4-0) against our traditional rival Minnesota in the regular season. It’s never been done in 60 years.”
Minnesota 0 0 1 — 1
Denver 1 2 2 — 5
First period — 1, Denver, Colborne 14 (Rakh-shani, Wiercioch), 18:58 (pp). Penalties — Shore, DU (high sticking), 2:08; Ryder, DU (cross-checking), 6:06; Cepis, UM (interference), 7:23; Phillips, DU (holding), 9:58; Wehrs, UM (tripping), 12:09; Cepis, UM (interference), 17:04.
Second period — 2, Denver, Maiani 6 (Vossberg, K. Ostrow), 1:07. 3, Denver, Colborne 15 (Rakhshani, Wiercioch), 12:39 (pp). Penalties — Fischer, UM (interference), 2:24; Carman, UM (hooking), 3:01; Rakhshani, DU (interference), 4:46; Hoeffel, UM (high sticking), 11:56; Ness, UM (slashing), 11:56; Glasser, DU (interference), 5:52.
Third period — 4, Denver, Colborne 16 (unassisted), 2:16 (sh). 5, Denver, Gifford 1 (Knowlton, Ryder), 17:31. 6, Minnesota, Lucia 8 (Carman, Leddy), 19:21 (pp). Penalties — Lee, DU (cross-checking), :43; Flynne, UM (tripping), 3:08; Hansen, UM (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:55; Salazar, DU (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:55; Ness, UM (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:55; Lee, DU (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:55; Hansen, UM (roughing), 16:55; Nutini, DU (interference), 18:18.
Shots — UM 12-8-13 — 33. DU 9-14-10 — 33. Power plays — UM 1 of 7. DU 3 of 9. Goalies — UM, Patterson (2-4-1) 33 shots-28 saves. DU, Cheverie (17-3-3) 33-32. A — 6,088.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
RECAP
The Post’s three stars
1. Joe Colborne.
Three goals for the young Pioneers star, giving him 10 in his last 12 games.
2. Marc Cheverie.
Another awesome effort by the DU goalie (32 saves).
3. Rhett Rakhshani.
Two assists for the DU captain.
What you might have missed
Former DU center Tyler Bozak, a rookie with the Toronto Maple Leafs, attended the game and said the Pioneers looked “unbelievable.”
Up next
Michigan Tech, Friday at Magness Arena, 7:30 p.m.
