Monday 10: Top-ranked Denver remains undefeated, Providence’s Leaman gets win No. 400, Union takes home Capital Skates Trophy, Minnesota keeps filling the net

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Union celebrates a goal during its weekend wins over RPI to win the Capital Skates Trophy (photo: Paul Buckowski).

Each week, USCHO.com will pick the top 10 moments from the past weekend in our Monday 10 feature.

1. No. 1 Denver still perfect after convincing wins over No. 20 Wisconsin

The Pioneers beat the Badgers in two games, 4-2 and 6-1, to improve to 6-0-0 on the season, one of four teams that remain undefeated. Wisconsin scored first in both games, but Denver answered those opening tallies each time with goals less than three minutes later and never trailed again in either contest.

Denver senior Matt Davis stopped 56-of-59 shots for a .949 save percentage. Senior forward Jack Devine registered his 120th career point, an assist on Aiden Thompson’s goal at 18:19 in the first period Saturday. Devine has an assist in each of the first six games of the season.

2. No. 19 Ohio State makes a case for being the team to watch

Ohio State, chosen in preseason by the Big Ten coaches to finish in last place, remains undefeated (5-0-1) after sweeping a home-and-home series with in-state rival Bowling Green, 3-1 and 2-0. Damien Carfagna led the Buckeyes with two goals on the weekend.

Two Buckeyes each earned wins in net, with Logan Terness stopping 25 in Friday’s win and Kristoffer Eberly turning aside 22 shots Saturday, his first collegiate shutout. Saturday’s game was a penalty-filled affair with the teams combining nearly evenly for 56 total minutes, yet the Buckeyes scored the only power-play goal in the game.

Through six games, Terness and Eberly have split time evenly in net, combining for a .952 team save percentage.

3. No. 6 Maine still undefeated after road win and tie

Maine is 4-0-1 after a 4-1 win and 2-2 tie at Northeastern during the opening weekend of Hockey East play. Friday’s win was the first for the Black Bears at Matthews Arena since Feb. 25, 2012, a span in which Maine was 0-14-2 on the road against the Huskies.

Maine and Northeastern combined for three goals in the final two minutes of that contest: Harrison Scott’s empty-netter for the Black Bears at 18:11, followed by Cam Lund’s goal for the Huskies at 18:39 and Maine’s second empty-net goal by Nolan Renwick at 19:33. The Black Bears came from behind in the tie on goals by Brandon Holt in the second and Sully Scholle in the third, and Maine took the extra shootout point. The 4-0-1 start to the season is Maine’s best record through five games since 2006-07.

4. No. 9 Colorado College sweeps Alaska Anchorage on the road

The Tigers remain undefeated after 2-1 and 2-0 wins over the Seawolves, starting 4-0-0 for the second straight season. Four different players accounted for Colorado College’s goals, and Kaidan Mbereko had a .979 save percentage in the series, stopping 18 shots in his seventh career shutout, his first since shutting out Denver in March of his rookie season.

5. No. 2 Boston College fends off No. 14 Western Michigan

Trailing 2-0 through the first 36:27 against the Broncos Saturday night, the Eagles scored four unanswered goals – two by Ryan Leonard in the final minute of the game – to give Boston College a 4-2 win over Western Michigan.

Andre Gasseau scored at 16:27 in the second to pull the Eagles to within one, and Teddy Stiga tied the game a minute into the third period. Leonard scored the game-winning goal at 19:09 and the empty-netter 19:37.

6. No. 5 Minnesota keeps the goals coming

Minnesota continues its offensive roll, outscoring St. Thomas 13-3 in two games and improving to 5-1-0 overall. The Golden Gophers have scored no fewer than five goals in each of their wins and currently lead DI teams, averaging 5.50 goals per game. Connor Kurth leads the Gophers with six goals through six games.

Brody Lamb – with 16 goals to his name through 80 previous collegiate games – netted his first career hat trick in Minnesota’s 6-2 win Saturday.

7. Splitsville for No. 3 Boston University, No. 7 North Dakota

On the road against the Fighting Hawks, the Terriers picked up a 4-3 win Saturday, but North Dakota dominated in a 7-2 Friday night.

In Friday’s win, the Fighting Hawks led 5-0 by the 13:12 mark in the first period on goals by five different players, then went ahead 6-0 on Jackson Kunz’s second goal of the game 40 seconds into the third period.North Dakota went 2-for-3 on the power play and Boston University 1-for-5 in a game that saw 19 penalties for 49 minutes.

A turnover led to Ben Strinden’s goal in the third, the final of the game.

Boston University returned the turnover favor on Devan Kaplan’s second go-ahead goal Saturday night, shorthanded at 12:28 in the third.

Tom Willander’s power-play goal a few minutes later held up to be the game-winner.

8. No. 4 Spartans sweep Canisius on the road

Michigan State shuffled off to Buffalo for a pair of wins over Canisius, 3-0 and 4-1.

The Spartans were zesty in Saturday’s win, charged with 48 penalty minutes in the contest including two five-minute major penalties, Mikey DeAngelo for hitting from behind and David Gucciardi for a facemask infraction.

The Griffins were able to generate five shots through 14 total minutes of man advantage, including the two major penalties. Dominic Payne had the only goal for Canisius on the weekend, a power-play tally in the second period Saturday.

Tanner Kelly had the game-winner at 10:10 in Friday’s shutout.

Michigan State outshot Canisius 81-19 in the series. Trey Augustine made 15 saves Friday in his first shutout of season and fourth career shutout. Luca Di Pasquo had 18 stops in Saturday’s win, his first start of the season. Di Pasquo, a sophomore, had two wins in four starts last season.

9. Early hardware for Union in sweep of Rensselaer

Union has quietly amassed a 6-1-0 record to start the season, most recently sweeping a home-and-home series with local rival Rensselaer to capture the Capital Skates Trophy. The hardware is awarded to either team when they sweep the other, and it’s the first time the Garnet Chargers have captured the trophy since early in the 2017-18 season.

Ben Muthersbaugh led all Union players on the weekend with three goals, including the winner in Saturday’s 4-3 come-from-behind win at 16:53 in the third.

Muthersbaugh had two markers in Friday’s 6-3 win, as did teammate Colby MacArthur.

This is Union’s best start to a season since 1976-77, when the Garnet Chargers began the season with a seven-game win streak.

10. Congratulations, Coach Leaman, on win No. 400

No. 13 Providence rallied for three unanswered goals to beat Vermont in overtime Friday, 3-2, giving Nate Leaman his 400th NCAA win. Leaman is in his 13th season with the Friars, having served as Union’s head coach for eight previous seasons.

The Friars led 2-0 on Will Elger’s goal early in the second, but Joel Maatta answered six minutes later for Vermont, and Simon Jellus’ goals with 40 seconds left in regulation sent the game to OT. Nick Poisson scored at 1:29 in overtime for the win.

Providence came from behind in Saturday’s 4-4 tie, with Poisson’s goal at 19:37 in the third to knot the game.

Providence took the extra shootout point when Zachary Borgiel stopped all three Vermont shooters and Hudson Malinoski found the back of the Vermont net.

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