Denver snapped a three-game road losing streak when they rallied past conference-foe Butler 9-8 in overtime on Sunday.

DU was able to overcome a one-goal deficit to send the match into overtime in Indianapolis. The Pioneers have improved their record to 6-6 with the season winding down.

Jeff Biggs scored the first goal of the day with his unassisted blast three minutes into the game. Butler quickly bounced back to tie the game, as the two teams traded goals for the remainder of the game.

Mike Kenlay and Chad Wittman, the eventual hero of the game, both added goals in the first frame.

Butler opened the second quarter with a goal at 3:46 to take a one-goal lead. DU’s Biggs tied the game with his second goal of the day from an assist by John Sanders. Denver put themselves in a hole with two penalties late in the period, and Butler took advantage. Denver trailed 6-5 with the half coming to an end.

The third quarter was relatively quiet, as Denver’s Cory Vann scored the loan goal of the frame. His unassisted shot went in at 8:05.

The fourth quarter opened with an early goal by Butler. Denver’s Matt Brown tied up the game before Butler jumped ahead 8-7. The Pioneers battled to the last minute when Wittman scored the tying goal with only 22 seconds left in the match to send the game into overtime.

Three minutes into the extra period, Wittman scored the hat trick with an assist from Mike Kenlay to place Denver in the win column.

“This was a great win for us today. We definitely needed this game today to help bring the team chemistry together as a stepping-stone for the younger players looking forward to next season. This was a true team effort from start to finish,” Wittman stated after the match.

Denver outshot Butler 36-34 and out-hustled them for a 41-27 advantage in groundballs. They scored a power play and a short-handed goal in the match.

Denver will face the University of Delaware in Newark on Saturday. Delaware is a non-conference opponent.