While University of Minnesota Duluth goaltender Matt McNeely's first start of the 2015-16 season was a promising one, it wasn't enough to overcome a stellar puckstopping performance from his University of Denver counterpart, Evan Cowley.

McNeely, a senior whose last starting assignment came on Feb. 5, 2015, made 27 saves, but Cowley turned aside all but one of UMD's 35 shots Saturday night in a 2-1 Pioneer victory, giving host Denver a National Collegiate Hockey Conference series sweep of the the No. 19 Bulldogs. Cowley came on in relief of Tanner Jaillet six minutes into the first period on Friday and helped lead the No. 15  Pioneers past UMD 3-2 by stopping all 34 shots he faced.

Just as they had done in the series opener,  the Pioneers struck for two, first-period goals and they came six minutes apart from Danton Heinen (on the power play) and Dylan Grambell.  It took UMD (8-10-5 overall; 5-8-3 NCHC) until 12:53 of the third period for the Bulldogs to get on the board as senior center Tony Cameranesi picked up his eight goal of the year -- on a rebound from a Willie Raskob shot. Fellow junior d-man Carson Soucy was also awarded an assist, his sixth  of the season.

UMD went 0-for-2 on the power play for a second consecutive night and has now failed to score in its last 27 opportunities with the man advantage, a drought which stretches back eight games.

The Bulldogs remain on the road next weekend (Jan. 29-30) to face Northern Michigan University in their final non-conference series of 2015-16.