With a home-ice playoff seed in sight, the University of Denver lost its way.
The rebuilding Pioneers, who haven’t put together consecutive weekend victories since November, failed to complete a regular season-ending series sweep Saturday night, losing to Miami (Ohio) 2-1 in what turned out to be the final hockey game at Magness Arena this season.
Had they won, the Pioneers would have collected the fourth and final home-ice slot for the inaugural National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoffs. Instead, they are the No. 6 seed and will play at No. 3 Nebraska Omaha this week in a best-of-three series.
DU is 1-3 against UNO this season, losing the first two games in overtime.
“We’re looking forward to UNO next weekend,” DU senior defenseman David Makowski said about a series that is expected to start Thursday night. “We’ve beaten every team in our conference. It’s just about getting on a little roll here.”
Two weeks ago, DU needed only a tie in a two-game series against archrival Colorado College to retain the coveted Gold Pan, but the Tigers produced back-to-back upsets. The Pioneers, who have two seniors and 10 freshmen and have been plagued with injuries, will have to advance to the March 21-22 NCHC finals to extend a season in which they have already overachieved.
Miami’s Blake Coleman was the best player of Saturday’s game and in the series. The junior from Plano, Texas, accounted for all four of the RedHawks’ weekend goals, including a breakaway backhander that broke a 1-1 tie Saturday. He beat senior goalie Sam Brittain on a one-on-one bid 7:33 into the third period and the RedHawks held on behind sophomore goalie Ryan McKay (31 saves).
Miami outshot the Pioneers 24-7 in the third period.
“It looked like they had Red Bull in their legs,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said of the RedHawks. “They came out flying and we had nothing. I can’t explain it.”
Miami, ranked No. 1 nationally to begin the season, already was ensured last place in the eight-team NCHC. The RedHawks will open the league playoffs at league champion St. Cloud State.
Saturday’s game was scoreless until each team struck within 37 seconds. Coleman broke the ice at 12:39 of the second period, when he redirected a Trevor Hamilton shot from the point. Coleman had both of the RedHawks’ goals in Friday night’s 5-2 loss to the Pioneers.
Saturday, junior Zac Larraza tied it for DU at 13:16 in the second period, using his quick hands to collect a loose puck between the circles and firing a wrist shot through traffic and behind McKay.
At the second intermission, the Pioneers learned of Nebraska Omaha’s 4-1 win at Minnesota Duluth, opening the door for the fourth and final home-ice seed. UMD had controlled its destiny after pounding UNO 8-2 on Friday.
Saturday, the RedHawks had two pucks get behind Brittain that didn’t count as goals. In the second period, Austin Czarnik made illegal skate contact with the puck as he knocked a goalpost loose. Early in the third period, Justin Greenberg swatted the puck in with his hand.
DU again played without Colorado-raised standouts Josiah Didier and Quentin Shore. The two NHL draft picks (Montreal and Ottawa, respectively) are out with upper-body injuries. Didier, a defenseman who has missed the past four games, might return this week. Shore, a center who was body-slammed at the end of the Feb. 22 game at Colorado College, is out indefinitely.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
DU Recap
The Post’s three stars
1. Blake Coleman. Miami junior wing had two goals on the game and four in the series.
2. Ryan McKay. Sophomore goalie stopped 32 saves for the RedHawks.
3. Zac Larraza. DU junior wing scored his eighth goal of the season.
What you might have missed
DU defensemen Joey LaLeggia and David Makowski combined for 11 of the Pioneers’ 33 shots.
Up next
At Nebraska Omaha, TBD
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
Miami011 — 2Denver010 —1
First period — None. Penalties — Larazza, DU (roughing), 19:42. Coleman, MU (slashing), 19:42.
Second Period — 1, Miami, Coleman 17 (Hamilton, Czarnik), 12:39. 2, Denver, Larraza 8 (Levin, Makowski), 13:16. Penalties — Greenberg, MU (interference), 7:02; Paulides, MU (hooking), 14:52.
Third Period — 3, Miami, Coleman 18 (unassisted), 13:16. Penalties — Romig, DU (hooking), 10:31.
Shots on goal — MU 5-15-24 — 44. DU 12-14-7 — 33.
Power plays — MU 0 of 1. DU 0 of 2.
Goalies — MU, McKay (7-12-3) 33 shots-32 saves. DU, Brittain (15-12-6) 44-42. A — 5,607.
