(left) New York Islanders draft pick Rhett Rakhshani is one of DU's Freshman scoring this season
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Not lost on the University of Denver hockey team during its two-game sweep at Alaska-Anchorage last weekend was the fact Pioneers freshman scored five of the six goals.
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The offensive impact from the rookies has been apparent all season - with three of them holding down spots on the top two forward lines since Day One - but the positive numbers have ballooned. The stellar class has accounted for 39 percent of DU's goals (22 of 57) and 49 percent of the team's total scoring (78 of 160) through the first half of the season.
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Redshirt freshman Brock Trotter, tied with junior Ryan Dingle with a team-leading 22 points, leads the rookie class with eight goals. Classmates Tyler Ruegsegger and Rhett Rakhshani are third and fourth in scoring and have a combined 11 goals.
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Trotter, Dingle and Rakhshani make up DU's top line, and Ruegsegger plays with that trio on the No. 1 power play and centers the second line at even strength. All of them scored last weekend in the 4-2 and 2-0 victories, with Ruegsegger getting two goals and freshman linemate Brian Gifford the game-winner in the finale.
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The sweep gave DU (12-6-2) sole possession of second-place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association heading into the break. DU (8-4-2 WCHA) next plays Dec. 29 against Mercyhurst in the first round of the Denver Cup at Magness Arena.
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Injured seniors Adrian Veideman (neck, shoulder) and Ryan Helgason (hand) should return for the four-team tournament, and senior J.D. Corbin (broken leg) could be back by the end of January.
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"Our freshmen, in addition to younger guys like (sophomores) Chris Butler and Patrick Mullen, have really stepped it up in times when we don't have J.D., Helgy and Veids," DU assistant coach Steve Miller said.