Pohlkamp’s Hat Trick Propels no. 5 Denver pioneers to 6-0 Victory Over Bentley Falcons
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Denver hockey fans witnessed a dominant performance Saturday night as the No.5 Denver Pioneers defeated the Bentley Falcons 6-0 at Magness Arena, securing their first win of the season after a 1-1 tie against Air Force on Friday. The victory was highlighted by a historic hat trick from defenseman Eric Pohlkamp and a stellar shutout performance by goaltender paxton Geisel.
Pioneers Dominate in Home Opener
Denver (1-0-1) broke open a tight contest wiht a four-goal outburst in the third period, showcasing their offensive firepower and solidifying their position as a top team in college hockey. The Pioneers’ strong start to the season underscores their ambitions for a deep playoff run.
Pohlkamp’s Historic Performance
Defenseman Eric Pohlkamp stole the show, becoming the 12th Pioneer defenseman to score three goals in a single game. His hat trick, the first of his career and his third multi-goal outing was a key factor in the decisive victory. Notably, former teammate Zeev Buium was the last Pioneer to achieve this feat on November 15, 2024, against North Dakota.
“I think my shots have kind of been all over, and I kind of just threw it on the net, and lucky enough it went in,” Pohlkamp remarked, acknowledging the contributions of his teammates. “So my teammates made actual plays to get those. I mean that second one was pretty much back door, the first one was too. So they did a great job for me, and just had to shoot on the net.”
Geisel Shines in Shutout Victory
Goaltender Paxton Geisel delivered a commanding performance, earning his first career shutout with 21 saves. This clean sheet marked Denver’s first since Freddie Halyk’s shutout on November 1,2024,at Yale,and the first shutout at magness Arena by a Denver netminder since a shared shutout by Matt Davis and Halyk on February 14,2025,against North Dakota.
Key Game Notes
- Denver extended its winning streak against Bentley to four games, with the last loss coming on October 17, 2014.
- DU has a strong record against non-conference opponents, going 14-1-1 in their last 16 games.
- Pohlkamp’s hat trick makes him the fourth NCHC defenseman to achieve this feat, joining Zeev Buium and Western Michigan’s Ronnie Attard (twice).
- Pohlkamp also scored his first career short-handed goal, the first for Denver since Carter King’s goal on march 28, 2025, against Providence.
- Pohlkamp has now recorded points in four consecutive contests dating back to last year’s NCAA Tournament.
- Kristian Epperson, Eric Jamieson, and Brady Milburn all earned their first collegiate points in the game.
- Clarke Caswell secured his first NCAA assist after making his Pioneer debut on Friday.
- Freshman Payton Nelson made his first career appearance.
- paxton Geisel made his second career start and first since December 9, 2023.
According to head coach David Carl, the team’s performance on the penalty kill was crucial. “Yeah, they did a really nice job of executing… Paxton, I thought we disrupted them.” He also emphasized the importance of rewarding players for their efforts, stating, “Yeah, I think it’s nice for the guys to get rewarded on it.”
Geisel expressed satisfaction with his first start in nearly two years, noting, “Yeah, felt good. Obviously, it’s been a while since I’ve played a full game… guys played great in front of me.” He also highlighted the team’s overall improvement, adding, “I think us as a group, we’re all doing pretty well moving forward.”
Tickets for DU hockey’s 2025-26 campaign are now available, with single-game tickets and 5-game mini plans on sale.
