Senior goaltender Wade Dubielewicz made 27 saves, posting his second shutout in as many games, while senior Aaron MacKenzie had a goal and an assist as the Denver Pioneers beat St. Cloud State 4-0 on Friday in WCHA play, setting a school record with three consecutive shutouts.
The Pioneers previously shut out Miami and then New Hampshire to win the Denver Cup on Dec. 28. Denver has not allowed a goal in over 180 minutes of hockey.
“Those three shutouts came against quality competition,” Pioneers coach George Gwozdecky said. “These guys remember what happened in St. Cloud, where we did not play very well. We stepped up our game and had great tenacity.”
The win is the first for the Pioneers (15-5-3, 6-4-3 WCHA) against the Huskies this season, after playing to a tie and a loss in St. Cloud on Dec. 13-14, and also the first win in four games of WCHA play.
Dubielewicz, making his second start since returning from a leg injury, was tested most in the second period, during which he made 13 saves, including five stops on a Huskies power play midway through the period. Dubielewicz has three shutouts this season.
“Getting Wade back, and getting Wade back at the level he played last year, has been a boost to our team,” Gwozdecky said. “When you are playing from a lead it is a lot easier to carry through and win.”
Kevin Ulanski scored first at 12:09 of the first period, off a rebound that eluded Huskies goaltender Jason Montgomery. Senior Greg Barber, who worked in the corner to send the puck to Ulanski, finished the game with two helpers, giving him four assists in three games.
MacKenzie scored on the power play with 84 seconds left in the first period on a one-timer off a pass from senior Kevin Doell to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. Doell leads the Pioneers in assists with 16 and points with 27.
After a scoreless second period, freshman Gabe Gauthier scored at 9:36 of the third, lifting a rebound off a shot from senior J.J. Hartmann.
Junior Connor James, who leads the Pioneers in goals with 13, sealed the score at 4-0 with a goal at 18:55. Junior Max Bull picked up his first assist of the season on the play while MacKenzie also added an assist.
