Potulny Powers No. 3 Minnesota Past Pioneers

Nov. 19, 2004

Despite four goals in the third period, the University of Denver fell to Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) foe No. 3 Minnesota 5-4 behind go-ahead and game-winning goals from Ryan Potulny (2g, 0a - 2) in front of a capacity crowd of 6,038 at Magness Arena Friday night. Minnesota improves to 8-2, 6-1 WCHA, while Denver falls to 5-5, 4-3 WCHA. The teams will complete the two game weekend series Saturday at 7:05 p.m., at Magness Arena.

"I was proud of our effort in the third period," Head Coach George Gwozdecky said. "All four lines did a great job of pursuing pucks and putting pressure on Minnesota but we gave them opportunities they ware able to capitalize on. The third period showed a sign of the potential we have as a team."

In the first period, Andy Sertich scored the first goal of the game on a shorthanded 2-1 breakaway goal at 14:33 that got past rookie goaltender Peter Mannino (Farmington Hills, Mich.) low through the five hole. The Pioneers missed on several scoring opportunities, including three power plays, four odd man rush situations and several Minnesota turnovers in their own zone. The Pioneers managed four shots on goal in the first period to Minnesota's nine.

Minnesota's goaltender Kellen Briggs fought off 15 (15-8) Pioneer shots on goal to keep the Pioneers scoreless in the game through the second period. The Gophers scored two goals to increase their advantage to 3-0. Garrett Smaagaard took a cross ice pass just over the blue line from Jake Flemming and fired a wrist shot past Mannino on the stick side at 11:53. Judd Stevens added to the score (3-0), beating Mannino to the low glove-side slot at 19:13.

Paul Stastny (St. Louis, Mo.) started the four-goal third period for Denver by scoring on the power-play with a one-timer off a pass from Luke Fulghum (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Kevin Ulanski (Madison, Wisc.) to bring Denver within two goals. Adrian Veideman (Sicamous, British Columbia) added the second goal for the Pioneers just 45 seconds later with a stick side shot to cut the Gophers lead to one. Minnesota's Ryan Potulny put the Gophers back ahead by two goals with a rebound shot of a Danny Irmen attempt at 7:19. The goal stood after an official review. Denver scored the next two goals to even the score 4-4. Matt Carle (Anchorage, Alaska) scored a power play goal on an assist from Veideman at 10:11, and Fulghum evened the score on a wrist shot that he lifted past Briggs high on the glove side. Mannino kept the Pioneers' momentum alive when he was able to crush a two-man rush late in the third to set up Fulghum's game tying goal. The Gophers responded 29 seconds later with the game-winning goal from Potulny who fired a back door shot from Irmen and Tyler Hirsch with 1:56 left in the game.

Denver out-shot Minnesota 38-22 and went 2-6 on the power-play while the Gophers went 1-5 on the power-play. Briggs earned the win with 34 saves, while Mannino got the loss with 17 saves.

Game Summary
First Period
1. UM - Andy Sertich 2 (Jerrid Reinholz 3, Derek Peltier 4) 14:33 SH
Second Period
2. UM - Garrett Smaagaard 3 (Jake Fleming 4) 8:07
3. UM - Judd Stevens 1 (Fleming 5, Smaagaard 4) 19:13
Third Period
4. DU- Paul Stastny 2 (Luke Fulghum 3, Kevin Ulanski 4) 3:36 PP
5. DU - Adrian Veideman 2 (Mike Handza 1, Brett Skinner 8) 4:12
6. UM - Ryan Potulny 10 (Danny Irmen 8, Chris Harrington 5) 7:19 PP
7. DU - Matt Carle 4 (Veideman 3) 10:11 PP
8. DU - Fulghum 5 (J.D. Corbin 6, Matt Laatch 1) 17:35
9. UM - Potulny 11 (Irmen 9, Tyler Hirsch 9) 18:04
Scoring	1-2-3--F
#3 Minnesota	1-2-2--5
#11 Denver	0-0-4--4
Shots on Goal: UM (8-8-6--22), DU (4-15-19--38); Saves: UM - Briggs (4-15-15--34), DU - Mannino (7-6-4--17); Penalties: UM 7-14, DU 6-12; Power Plays: UM 1-5, DU 2-6; Referee: Don Adam. Assistants: Tim Swiader, Butch Mousseaux. Attendance: 6,038.

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