Junior forward Kevin Doell tallied two power-play goals in the third period and junior netminder Wade Dubielewicz pitched two shutout periods, but it was not enough as in-state rival Colorado College held on for a 3-2 at Magness Arena.
Denver’s three-game winning streak over the Tigers ended when the final horn sounded, leaving the fate of the Gold Pan trophy to be settled tomorrow evening. The Pioneers
suffer their second home loss of the season and fall to 23-4-0 (16-3-0 WCHA). Colorado College improves to 17-8-3 (11-7-1 WCHA) with their fifth straight win.
After skating to a scoreless tie in the opening frame both teams stormed out of the locker room at the start of the second with as much intensity as the touted rivalry could muster. The Tiger offense, however, proved to be more than the home team could handle. Denver was outshot 25-7 and surrendered three unanswered goals in the middle period. With the flurry, Colorado College becomes the only team this season to register three goals in one period against Denver at home and is only the third team to accomplish the feat against the Pioneers this season.
Colorado College registered the game’s first goal forty-four seconds into the second stanza, quieting the Denver faithful. After the Pioneers failed to clear the puck from the defensive zone, Tiger forward Scott Polaski took control of the loose puck and backhanded it over the
glove shoulder of Dubielewicz to give CC a 1-0 lead.
The visitors struck again midway through the period and took a 2-0 advantage on Shaun Winkler’s first goal of the season. Dubielewicz made the initial save on Jesse Heerema’s shot from the left circle, but was unable to control the rebound as it bounced behind him. The loose puck landed just in front of the goal line and sat untouched on the doorstep before Winkler skated in the crease and knocked it into the net with the blade of his skate.
The Tigers took advantage of the momentum and padded their lead one minute and thirty seconds later when Colin Stuart beat Dubielewicz on a breakaway.
The Pioneers’ special teams snapped its scoreless drought in the third with two power-play goals by Doell and brought the sellout crowd to its feet. Denver, feeding off of the momentum swing, traded Dubielewicz for an extra attacker with just over a minute remaining but was unable to capitalize and fell short in the comeback attempt.
Denver, despite suffering its first two-game losing streak of the season, successfully killed all seven of CC’s power play tries and improved its penalty-killing streak at home to 33.
The Pioneers and Tigers will compete their home-and-home weekend in Colorado Springs Saturday night. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. in World Arena.
