SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALL RIGHT FOR FIGHTING

Apologies, Elton John.

Oh, and Nickelback, too.

(I'm kidding.)

This is going to be an interesting night. Denver beat UMD 5-1 last night, scoring the final four goals of the game and making the final score more lopsided than the game was.

From the perspective of a guy who doesn't know much about the game, it was not a good night for the Bulldogs in many ways. Denver had four goals that looked to be too easy from my press box view. The other goal trickled in off a defenseman's skate.

It didn't look like UMD's best effort, and afterward, DU coach George Gwozdecky talked up the notion that his team didn't play very well. I disagree, but it's not my team. I thought Denver was pretty sharp last night, with the exception of some four-on-four play in the second period that UMD controlled.

Denver had a hefty edge in shots on goal for most of the game, and they pulled away with two late goals to make the margin 5-1. I expect UMD will come out stronger tonight.

As for potential lineup changes, we'll see if coach Scott Sandelin decides to use sophomore defenseman Chase Ryan, who traveled as the extra defenseman on this trip. Freshman forward Mike Montgomery may see his first action of the season, but it depends on what Sandelin decides to do with his forward lines. There's a chance that Montgomery will only play because of injury, but I don't know that.

It was a hard game for both teams, and I'm guessing ice was a major commodity in the locker rooms afterward. There was a lot of stickwork in the game, and I noticed a lot of slashing and chopping at sticks, which I could have sworn was against the rules. But since Derek Shepherd didn't call it, there must not have been anything going on there.

I won't bother to project lines for tonight. I don't know who's healthy and who isn't, and I don't know what the coaches are going to want to do with lines that, until last night, had worked very well for the team.