DENVER, Colo. — No. 3 Denver scored on the power play in each period and pulled away down the stretch for a 6-2 win over the Miami University hockey team in Game 1 of an NCHC quarterfinal series. Jack Devine collected four goals for the Pioneers (29-8-0), while PJ Fletcher and Joe Cassetti scored for the RedHawks (8-23-4), who trailed 3-2 at the second intermission against the defending national champions.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• 3:52 1st (Miami 1-0) | The RedHawks opened the scoring less than four minutes into the game. After Max Dukovac knocked the puck backward to Axel Kumlin at the left point, Kumlin teed up Fletcher at the edge of the right circle for a one-timer that made it 1-0.
• 7:38 1st (Denver 1-1) | The Pioneers answered back on the game's first power play. Aidan Thompson found Casey Dornbach posted up near the net, with Dornbach dropping a pass behind him to Devine for the finish to even the score at 1-all.
• 15:00 1st (Denver 2-1) | Denver grabbed the lead late in the first period on a shot by Devine from the middle that took a deflection up and in. Tristan Broz and Carter King picked up assists on the play.
• 12:03 2nd (Denver 3-1) | The Pios doubled their advantage with another power-play goal in the middle stanza. Dornbach dished a pass to Carter Mazur straddling the red line, who connected with Devine diving toward the back post to complete a natural hat trick.
• 18:39 2nd (Miami 3-2) | Miami responded with a power-play tally from Cassetti late in the second period to pull within 3-2. Hampus Rydqvist started the play deep in his own end, pushing a pass ahead to Matthew Barbolini at the blue line. Barbolini spun away from a defender and perfectly timed a return feed to a hustling Rydqvist. That opened up a 2-on-1 opportunity in front of the net, with Rydqvist capitalizing by sliding a pass across the crease to Cassetti for the goal.
• 2:18 3rd (Denver 4-2) | Denver produced its third power-play goal of the game early in the final period. After an extended time of possession and passing sequence in the offensive zone, Devine fired a shot that tipped off a defender in close to give the Pioneers a 4-2 lead. Mike Benning and Thompson were credited with the assists.
• 9:50 3rd (Denver 5-2) | Midway through the third period, the Pioneers broke the game open with a goal during 4-on-4 play. Broz stole the puck in DU's offensive zone and set up Tristan Lemyre for a backhand finish.
• 18:53 3rd (Denver 6-2) | After a flurry of late chances for Miami, first on the power play and then with an extra attacker, Denver finally got ahold of the puck and sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal. Connor Caponi knocked it in after a pass ahead by Lemyre.

 
NOTES

• Ludvig Persson made 28 saves and now has 2,441 for his career, moving past Alain Chevrier (1980-84) into fourth place in the program record book.
• John Waldron returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games and fired a career-high six shots on goal.
• Barbolini's assist was his team-high 14th of the season, while Dukovac produced his 13th helper.
• Cassetti, who has four points in his last four games, scored his 10th goal of the year to pull even with Barbolini for the team lead.
• Miami finished with 32 shots on goal to Denver's 34; the RedHawks had been held to 25 SOG or less in each of the previous 18 meetings vs. Denver.

 
UP NEXT:
The RedHawks and Pioneers continue their best-of-three quarterfinal series Saturday, March 11 at Magness Arena. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET.