ANCHORAGE ? Denver scored six unanswered goals, including four in the second period, as it erased an early two-goal deficit to earn a 6-2 win and series sweep over Alaska Anchorage tonight at the Sullivan Arena.
Sophomore Tyler Ruegsegger tallied a game-high five points (1g, 4a) for the 4th-ranked Pioneers (14-4-0, 11-3-0 WCHA), while Brock Trotter and Kyle Ostrow scored two goals each. Goalie Peter Mannino stopped 25 shots, including 12 in the second.
UAA (5-7-4, 2-7-3 WCHA) led 2-0 at the first break, but DU would crank up the offensive pressure in the second period, scoring four goals in an 8:23 span to grab a 4-2 lead at the second intermission. The Pioneers would add a shorthanded and empty-net goal in the final frame to earn their sixth straight win over the ?Wolves and 18th overall in the last 22 meetings.
Sophomore Jared Tuton gave the Seawolves a 1-0 lead with his first career goal at 3:20 of the first period while sophomore Kevin Clark pushed the advantage to 2-0 with his sixth goal of the season 1:26 later.
Second-year skaters Paul Crowder and Trevor Hunt collected the assists on the first goal and sophomores Josh Lunden and Nils Backstrom earned the helpers on the second.
Sophomore Jon Olthuis, who was replaced by freshman walk-on Aaron Mayo for the final 5:32 of regulation, recorded 15 saves in goal for UAA. Mayo did not face any pucks in his first career appearance.
Both teams were scoreless on their only power-play opportunity of the night, while the Seawolves owned a 27-21 shot advantage.
The two losses to DU marked the first time this season the Seawolves have been swept on home ice.
UAA returns to action after the Christmas break Dec. 28-29 for the final two games of the Alaska Airlines Governor's Cup at Fairbanks against the Nanooks.
