The #9 Denver Pioneers (14-11-2, 10-6-0 NCHC) were in real danger of being swept at Magness Arena for the second-straight time after last night’s collapse. Instead, they weathered a slow, sloggy start and an injury to their starting goalie before potting two goals at the end of the opening period and cruised to a 6-0 shutout victory over the St. Cloud State Huskies (13-13-0, 6-10-0 NCHC). Every game and win from here on out is incredibly important for a team fighting for its NCAA Tournament life.

The Pioneers had their work cut out for them almost from the get-go, as starting goalie Quentin Miller lost his balance returning to his crease and appeared to injure his left leg fewer than five minutes into the game. Backup Johnny Hicks, who had played just 51:34 in parts of four games this season, had to enter the game, and he was flawless, stopping all 22 shots he faced.

While the Hicks’ calming presence solved the Huskies’ in the crease, it was the strong play in all three zones by DU’s 19 skaters, in stark contrast to their performance from just a night ago, that surprised even the most optimistic DU fans. Not only did the Pioneers outshoot the Huskies 28-23, but they dominated all phases of the game, and even *gasp* scored a power-play goal (Eric Pohlkamp on a one-timer from Clarke Caswell to make it 3-0 early in the second period).

Pohlkamp broke the NCHC single-season goal-scoring record by a defenseman with his 15th and 16th goals of the season. He now leads all defensemen in the country in goals by a five-goal margin.

And the record-breaker! @PohlkampEric becomes the first #NCHChockey defenseman ever to score 1⃣6⃣ goals in a season with his 2nd of the night for @DU_Hockey!

: https://t.co/ZyUdpPa7bb // #theNational #GoPios // @SanJoseSharks https://t.co/9IYIHOk1Pj pic.twitter.com/JcYoG4PrjR

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) January 25, 2026

Boston Buckberger, Rieger Lorenz, Kyle Chyzowski, and Payton Nelson (first collegiate goal) rounded out the Pios’ six-goal onslaught against SCSU’s backup goalie Patriks Berzins. Huskies starter Yan Shostak was injured in last night’s game and was unable to play. As a result, the visitors flew in their third-stringer, James Gray, earlier in the day, and thrust him into action after Lorenz scored to make it 4-0 on Berzins.

This was an important victory, not just because it stopped the bleeding for a team that had won just once since December 12, but also because of the way they responded to a fourth-straight disappointing Friday night performance. Last Saturday, they responded to the 5-0 drubbing at North Dakota with a 3-2 nailbiter of a victory, but this time around, after surrendering four-straight goals in last night’s 4-2 loss, the Pioneers flipped the script and finally played like the juggernaut DU fans expected to see four months ago.

Now, with just four series remaining this season (vs. UMD, vs./at CC, at Omaha, vs. ASU), the stretch run of the season has arrived, and the Pioneers have no more room for error. But if the Pioneers can find a way to bottle up tonight’s performance and replicate it over the next few months, this 6-0 victory over St. Cloud State may very well be the game we look back on and realize the Pioneers finally righted the ship after floating adrift for a month and a half.

Highlights

PK with the record-tying goal! @PohlkampEric scores his 1⃣5⃣th of the season, which matches the #NCHChockey single-season record for goals by a defenseman, and puts @DU_Hockey in front

: https://t.co/ZyUdpPaF0J #theNational // #GoPios pic.twitter.com/f2qE7btY38

— The NCHC (@TheNCHC) January 25, 2026

Boston Buckberger’s goal at the end of the first period is tonight’s @Safeway Goal of the Game! pic.twitter.com/BRwiQvQeNv

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) January 25, 2026

Pios with another goal off the face off.#GoPios pic.twitter.com/Fjbpa73172

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) January 25, 2026

Top photo of Eric Pohlkamp courtesy of DU Athletics

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