The University of Denver Pioneers (9-3-4, 5-3-2-1) tied Colorado College (7-7-2, 3-5-2-1), 1-1, with Denver earning the extra point in the NCHC standings on Saturday at Broadmoor World Arena. The two teams tied in Denver on Friday, with the Tigers earning the extra point.
“This was the best game we played and the best growth for our team since the Boston College game,” coach Jim Montgomery said. “I am excited about where we can go because of the improvement I’m seeing in our team-first attitude and our grit.”
Despite the Pioneers having a couple prime scoring chances early in the game, the Tigers were first on the scoreboard at 18:03 of the first period when Trevor Gooch collected a loose puck outside the crease and slipped it around Tanner Jaillet. Colorado College took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The Tigers nearly stretched their lead late in the second period when a bouncing puck evaded the stick of Ian Mitchell and yielded a breakaway, but Jaillet made the stop to avoid a two-goal deficit through 40 minutes.
Tigers goalie Alex Leclerc continued to deny Denver in the second period, but early in the third period Henrik Borgström and Liam Finlay combined to break through. Only 17 seconds into the third period, Borgström skated toward the net on a two-on-one before slipping a pass across the goal for Finlay. Jake Durfligner had the secondary assist on the goal.
Both teams took penalties in the final seconds of regulation, setting up four-on-four play for the start of the overtime period, but neither team could capitalize and the extra period expired to end the game in an official 1-1 tie.
Finlay scored on a spin-o-rama move in the second overtime to determine the extra point in the NCHC standings.
Denver finished 0/3 on the power play and 4/4 on the penalty kill. Jaillet made 23 saves.
