MANKATO, Minn. — Tyler Ruegsegger had a goal and an assist and Rhett Rakhshani had three assists as Denver beat Minnesota State 3-1 on Friday in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The top-ranked Pioneers (23-6-4, 17-4-4) moved within two points of their first WCHA regular-season title since 2005.
They’ve won nine straight games. That matches a streak from the 2005 season that ended with an NCAA championship.
Denver can clinch the title with a win over MSU today.
“We played a pretty good road game tonight,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “I thought our power play improved in the third period, and Marc Cheverie gave us another good effort between the pipes.”
Ruegsegger gave Denver the lead in the first period. But Zach Harrison answered in the second for the Mavericks (14-17-2, 8-16-1).
Joe Colborne and Matt Donovan scored in the third to make a winner of Cheverie.
Cheverie improved to 20-3-3 with 28 saves. DU was outshot 29-20, but went 2-for-4 on the power play. Minnesota State was blanked on all four of its power-play attempts.
Phil Cook had 17 saves for the Mavericks.
Notebook.
Rakhshani leads DU in scoring with 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points, while Ruegsegger is second with 16-19—35. . . . DU matched its longest winning streak since 2005.
Denver 1 0 2 — 3
Minnesota State 0 1 0 — 1
Frist period — 1. DU, Ruegsegger 16 (Rakh-shani 23, Wiercioch 17), pp, 10:11.
Second period — 2. MSU, Harrison 8 (Galiardi 12, Louwerse 6), 11:19.
Third period — 3. DU, Colborne 18 (Wrenn 7, Rakhshani 24), 6:51. 4. DU, Donovan 6 (Ruegsegger 19, Rakhshani 25), pp, 10:34.
Shots on goal: DU (5-10-2—17), MSU (10-12-6—28); Saves: DU, Cheverie (10-12-6—28) 60:00, MSU, Cook (5-10-2—17) 58:46.
Referees: Don Adam, Tim Walsh; Assistants: Tony Czech, Jeff Schultz
Denver Post staff and wire reports
