For now, Denver avoided the worst kind of history.

Since the conference’s inception in 2013, the Pioneers have never failed to make it to St. Paul for the NCHC Frozen Faceoff — and this is the last year before the new conference tournament format comes into play.

For one more day, No. 3 seed DU prevented their first ever exit from the NCHC quarterfinals with a 6-3 win over rival and No. 6 seed Colorado College on Saturday night at Magness Arena.

“Certainly a must-win game for us,” senior forward Connor Caponi told The Denver Gazette. “I love the response from all the guys. Everyone was playing with urgency and I think that’s what we need up and down our lineup every night to win. If we want to go on and win a championship, that’s what we’re gonna need.”

What the Pioneers also needed was their power play unit to show up.

The battle between DU’s highly-ranked power play versus CC’s almost equally-highly-ranked penalty kill was always going to be a key part of the series. It’s a big reason the Tigers pulled off the upset in Game 1. But the Pios had a response in Game 2, scoring on their first three man-advantage opportunities of the night to help take a 3-2 lead early in the second period.

“It was obviously a huge difference-maker,” DU coach David Carle said. “If the power play was what it was last night, we go down 2-0 after the first (period). But they did a great job executing, moving the puck around (with) a lot of urgency.”

Zeev Buium scored twice on the power play for just his second multi-goal game of the season and first since mid-November.

“I just thought we were moving the puck quicker,” Buium said. “I think that’s all it comes down to. When we’re moving the puck quick and trusting each other and just finding lanes and not overthinking it, good things happen. It showed out there tonight.”

While the normally-reliable power play returned to form, the Pios also got a pair of even-strength goals from a pair of unlikely sources on the fourth line.

Caponi buried a shot from the left side of the ice after a puck bounced perfectly off the boards and onto his stick. His goal came after freshman linemate Hagen Burrows got his first career-goal on a play that was overturned after video review and gave DU a 3-2 lead early in the second period.

“We’ve been doing well as a line, but it’s good to see some pucks go in the net, especially for Hagen to get his first goal,” Caponi said. “It’s awesome. Happy for the kids. They’ve been working really hard, so they deserve it.”

The Tigers took 11 penalties on the night and suffered a pair of injuries that could be key in the decisive Game 3.

“Discipline is exactly what we need down the stretch,” Caponi said. “You take a bad penalty at the wrong time and it can end your season. You could see (CC) getting frustrated and when they take penalties, we’re gonna capitalize on them.

“Physically, I think both sides are probably feeling it. It’s a heated rivalry and we’re gonna play them five times in a row, so you just gotta be mentally checked in and ready to go to war tomorrow.”

In college hockey, there might not be anything more rare than playing a team five times in a row. But that’s exactly what DU and CC will do Sunday night at Magness Arena. As Carle aptly put it, “everything’s been said” by both teams.

As it often is this time of year, it’s about will and determination as much as it as about skill and game planning.

“They know what’s on the line for us and for them,” Carle said. “We both have a lot that we’re playing for. We know it’ll be a big battle. Both teams will be desperate, as we have been all season long against each other.”