DENVER, Colo.-- Eighth-seeded Miami got the scoring started early, but top-seeded Denver responded with four consecutive goals en route to a 5-2 win Friday in the first game of a best-of-three NCHC quarterfinal series.
 
Chase Pletzke and Chase Gresock had goals for Miami (7-26-2), while Ludvig Persson made 33 saves in net. The Pioneers (26-8-1) lead the series one game to none heading into Saturday night's rematch.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• 3:19 1st (Miami 1-0) | Miami drew first blood thanks to an early first-period goal from Pletzke. On a power play opportunity, Ryan Savage passed behind to Gresock in the Denver zone, then received a return pass and sent a shot toward the goal. Pletzke tipped it in to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
• 7:25 1st (Denver 1-1) | Another power play goal put Denver on the board later in the period. Moving into the Miami zone, Mike Benning slid the puck over to Bobby Brink, who sent it diagonally over to Cole Guttman. Guttman fired a one-timer into the net to tie up the game.
• 2:05 2nd (Denver 2-1) | Denver would take the lead in the second period with back-to-back goals just 31 seconds apart. After McKade Webster drove into the Miami zone, he dropped the puck back for Cameron Wright, who sent a pass over to Jack Devine. Devine took the shot from outside, putting the Pioneers up 2-1.
• 2:36 2nd (Denver 3-1) | Picking up a faceoff win to move right back into Miami's zone, Carter Mazur fed the puck to Justin Lee while being chased along the boards. Lee got the puck across to Webster, whose goal doubled Denver's lead.
• 7:37 3rd (Denver 4-1) | Denver converted another power play chance in the third period, as Benning sent a pass up to Brett Stapley, who moved the puck to Massimo Rizzo. Stapley then got it back from Rizzo and finished the play to give DU a 4-1 advantage.
• 11:11 3rd (Miami 4-2) | Miami responded to stay within striking distance, as PJ Fletcher passed along the boards to Matt Barry, who sent the puck behind him to Alec Capstick. Capstick ripped a blast from the blue line that Gresock redirected past Denver goaltender Magnus Chrona, making it 4-2.
• 19:17 3rd (Denver 5-2) | Denver closed the game out with an empty-net tally in the final minute. A faceoff win from Stapley in the Miami zone put the puck on Shai Buium's stick. Buium was able to bank the puck off the side wall and down the length of the ice for a goal to close the scoring.

 
GAME NOTES:

• Persson set the Miami record for saves in a season, topping the previous high of 972 (Mark Michaud in 1989-90). Persson now has 988 saves.
• Gresock was credited with a game-high seven shots on goal, and has five multi-point games in nine appearances since returning from injury.
• The RedHawks finished 1-6 on the power play, while Denver went 2-7.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks and Pioneers will face off Saturday at 8 p.m. ET in Denver for Game 2.