Denver, Colo. --- Third-rated Denver scored five unanswered second-period goals en route to a 10-2win over visiting Minnesota State Saturday night.
DU took a 2-0 first-period lead with a pair of goals before the game was five minutes old. Sophomore forward
Jason Zucker tucked in a rebound at :44 seconds and freshman defenseman
Joey LaLeggia one-timed a pass from
Beau Bennett past MSU senior netminder
Austin Lee at 4:36.
The Pioneers erupted for five goals in the middle frame in taking control of the contest with
Daniel Doremus, Jason Zucker, Scott Mayfield,
Shawn Ostrow and
Jarrod Mermis tallying.
LaLeggia got his second goal of the game early in the third period for DU, but MSU responded with a pair of power play goals of their own.
Jean-Paul Lafontaine scored his team-leading third goal of the year at 5:19, then freshman blueliner
Zach Palmquist got his second goal of the season at the 6:40 mark. The goals were the first power play goals of the year for MSU. DU tallied a pair of power play goals to round out the scoring in the game with
David Makowski and Ostrow finding the back of the net.
DU, which converted on three-of-seven chances, owned a 39-37 advantage in shots on goal in the game. The Mavericks were two-of-ten with the man advantage in the contest.
MSU was playing without several regulars in the game with
Chase Grant,
J.P. Burkemper, Michael Dorr, Tyler Elbrecht, Max Gaede, Eriah Hayes and
Danny Heath are sitting out with injuries. Freshman defenseman
Brett Stern suffered an upper body injury in the first period and did not return.
Now 1-5-0, 0-2-1 WCHA on the year, the Mavericks are idle next weekend prior to playing at Michigan Tech in a pair of WCHA road contests Nov. 4-5.
