Coming off a 12-game winning streak, the previously nationally ranked No. 1 University of Denver hockey team has been working on a three-game losing streak, after dropping a two-game series to Colorado College last weekend.
The Pioneers fell to 23-5-0 on the season, 16-4-0 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, but still stand atop the WCHA standings. They dropped to third in the national USA Today poll.
Both teams came out physical and the game remained scoreless through the first period. Then in the second, CC struck first only 44 seconds into the period.
About halfway through the period, CC scored again. Goaltender Wade Dubielewicz couldn’t locate the puck, which was unintentionally pushed into the goal by a Pioneer’s skate.
A minute and a half later, CC scored its third goal on a breakaway and headed into the second intermission with a 3-0 lead. CC outshot the Pioneers 25-7 in the second.
“The second period really hurt us tonight,” said Head Coach George Gwozdecky.
The Pioneers needed a power play in the third to score their first goal of the night. Kevin Doell took a pass from Lukas Dora to beat CC goalie Jeff Sanger. On almost the same play in DU’s next power play, Doell struck again to bring the Pioneers within one of CC. It looked like the Pioneers might have been able to pull off a tie, but even with an extra attacker after pulling Dubielewicz, the Pioneers were unable to score a tying goal.
Going into the game ranked No. 1 and facing their biggest rival, the Pioneers knew the game would be tough.
“Everyone’s trying to beat us. You always play your A game against the number one team in the nation. We haven’t been playing our game lately. Tomorrow’s going to be a different story,” said Foster.
The story may have been a little different, but the conclusion was the same. DU lost the second game of the series 4-2.
The Pioneers came out in the first period and registered only two shots on goal, compared to 20 by CC. While only one of those shots crossed the goal line, CC headed into the first break already up 1-0. Barber tied the score in the second with the first of his two goals on a power play. CC took the lead for good later in the period with two more goals, one coming off a power play.
Barber pulled DU within one goal of the Tigers early in the third with another power play goal. Chris Paradise appeared to have scored another goal in the third to tie the game at 3-3, but the goal was called off because Pioneer defenseman Ryan Caldwell was supposedly in the crease. The controversial call could have gone either way, as the replay showed that Caldwell had been pushed into the crease. CC sealed the win at 15:40 in the third period when Noah Clark beat goaltender Adam Berkhoel.
The night ended with the Pioneers picking up their third loss in a row and splitting the season series with CC 2-2. The week before DU lost to Minnesota.
“We have to get back to the old way when we were winning our games. We knew nobody could beat us and we’d just go out hard and nobody could touch us,” said Kevin Doell.
DU will try to get back on track tomorrow night against Minnesota-Duluth. Game time is at 7:35 p.m.
