Box Score DENVER - In front of 11,555 fans at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., the University of Denver hockey team skated past the University of Wisconsin, 2-1, Friday night. The Pioneers were early studies of UW goaltender Graham Melanson as both goals were placed in near identical locations.
Melanson is a real good goalie, but he likes to stay in his net and is susceptible to high shots, said Denver head coach George Gwozdecky, who coached the UW senior in the WCHA's Norway Tour last summer.
At the 7:55 mark of the opening period, Wisconsin's Matt Murray gave senior Bjorn Engstrom (Akarp, Sweden) a cross check from behind, driving Engstrom into the boards head first. That drew a major penalty as Denver went on a five-minute power play. Engstrom would return to the ice for his next shift and just over two minutes into the power play, freshman Connor James (Calgary, Alberta) made a perfect pass to sophomore Kevin Doell (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), who directed the puck over the glove of Melanson. Also assisting on the goal was freshman Lukas Dora (Lednice, Czech Republic). Doell, who received 18 stitches to his right hand after a freak accident on the bench last weekend, seemed unaffected by any pain. With five minutes to play in the first period, the Badgers knotted the game at 1-1. Denver sophomore Wade Dubielewicz (Invermere, British Columbia) stopped the initial Wisconsin shot but, lying on his back, was unable to find the puck as Kent Davyduke gained control and beat the sprawled Pioneer netminder. The Pioneers had an opportunity to add another power play goal late in the first period as senior Kelly Popadynetz (Calgary, Alberta) made a perfect 20-foot pass through the crease to Engstrom. The puck would not settle down for Engstrom and just bounced over his stick.
The Pioneers dodged a bullet in the middle of the second period as Davyduke skated in on Dubielewicz and wristed a shot that seemingly every fan in attendance, including goal judge, thought was in the back of the net. Dubielewicz, however, smothered the puck, calmly pulled it out of his catcher and handed it to the referee. The entire place erupted, only to learn moments later that the game remained deadlocked at 1-1. With time running out in the second, Engstrom controlled a puck in his own zone, skated the length of the ice, made two tremendous moves to beat two Badger defensemen and sent a wrist shot over the glove-hand of Melanson to give the Pioneers a 2-1 lead with just 19 seconds to play in the middle stanza. Engstrom's 11th goal of the season was unassisted. Denver peppered Melanson with 21 shots in the second period for a total of 32 shots on goal through 40 minutes of play.
Engstrom's goal was crucial, said Gwozdecky. It would have been difficult to have been tied going into the second intermission after playing so well. We put a ton of shots on Melanson but could not get anything past him until that goal.
In the third period, Denver continued its pressure but was just as happy staying back on defense to limit Wisconsin's chances. The Badgers outshot Denver 14-6 in that final stanza, but Dubielewicz was up to the task, stopping all 14 shots for a game total of 31 saves. It was penalty filled game as both teams were called for 11 penalties. Denver, however, did not allow the Badgers to get anything going on the power play, yielding just three extra attacker situations and killing all three. Denver remains unbeaten at the Kohl Center, posting a 2-0-1 record in three games. The Pioneers also remain unbeaten when leading after two periods, pushing that streak to 11-0-1.
The Pioneers (12-9-2, 9-7-1 WCHA) and Badgers (13-10-0, 8-7-0 WCHA) will close the series Saturday night at the Kohl Center in a 6:05 p.m. MST contest.
