Denver doubled its lead over Minnesota Duluth in the NCHC regular season title race over the weekend by sweeping St. Cloud State with a 4-3 overtime win on Friday and 7-2 rout of the Huskies on Saturday in Denver.
That leaves the second-place Bulldogs four points back going into the final week of the regular season after UMD was only able to pick up a 4-3 win and 3-3 tie against Miami Thursday and Friday last week in Duluth.
The Bulldogs, riding an 11 game unbeaten streak (8-0-3) will close the regular season on the road at third-place Western Michigan at 6:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Pioneers, winners of nine straight, travel to Nebraska-Omaha for a 7:37 p.m. game Friday and 7:07 p.m. game Saturday. Denver swept the Mavericks 5-3 and 5-0 Jan. 27-28 at home while UMD split its series with the Broncos Nov. 11-12 in Duluth.
The Pioneers (24-6-4 overall, 16-3-3) need two league points to clinch a share of their first league championship and three points to keep the Penrose Cup all to themselves.
The Bulldogs (20-5-7, 14-4-4) need two wins no matter what to get the No. 1 seed in the NCHC tournament.
