Having grown up in Aspen, Daniel Doremus is all about snow and ice. He can handle himself on the tricky surfaces.
So when the University of Denver senior center was tripped from behind and onto his stomach beside the net late in Saturday night’s game against Wisconsin, he was not out of the play.
Doremus produced one of the most remarkable assists you will see in hockey, centering the puck from his stomach to linemate Danton Heinen for the game-winning goal in the Pioneers’ 3-2 win over the Badgers at Magness Arena.
“Danny led us last year — he was MVP of the NCHC Tournament. He knows what it takes to win,” DU coach Jim Montgomery said of Doremus, who had a team-high six shots and was plus-2. “His heart and will to win is phenomenal, and he’s a great role model for our underclassmen.”
As unusual and improbable as Doremus’ pass was, Heinen’s goal was as easy as they get. He just tapped in the puck as goalie Joel Rumpel and two defensemen were focused on the situation around Doremus.
“I think Heinen might have called for it, because he wasn’t surprised by the pass. It’s the second and third efforts,” Montgomery said. “We were relentless on the puck, and Danny leads us in that department every game.”
Heinen’s goal gave DU a 3-1 lead 9:08 into the third period, but the Badgers’ Adam Rockwood scored at 14:38, and it was an intense final five minutes.
Denver (8-3) held on for its fifth victory in its past six games. Wisconsin fell to 0-8. The Badgers lost 5-2 at Colorado College on Friday.
DU beat Air Force 7-0 on Friday and has outscored its last three opponents 18-3.
Doremus scored Denver’s first goal against the Badgers and easily was the game’s No. 1 star. Fellow Colorado native Quentin Shore, a junior forward who had three goals and an assist Friday, produced the Pioneers’ second goal Saturday in his best collegiate weekend thus far.
The Pioneers took a 2-1 lead into the third period after they traded second- period, power-play goals with the Badgers. Wisconsin senior Joseph LaBate scored at 40 seconds with Joey LaLeggia in the box for contact to the head, and DU regained its lead on Shore’s man-advantage goal at 5:36. LaBate and Shore both pounced on rebounds between the circles.
On a lucky bounce, Denver got the early lead on Doremus’ goal 9:29 into the game. The puck came off Doremus’ stick and bounced off traffic in front of Rumpel, who ultimately had the puck rainbow over him.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@ or
