March 5, 2004

Box Score

Senior Ryan Caldwell (Deloraine, Manitoba) scored the game-winning goal and senior Adam Berkhoel (Woodbury, Minn.) made 27 saves as the Pioneers completed their two-game sweep of Colorado College with a wild 3-2 win tonight in WCHA action before 5,918 fans at Magness Arena. The Pioneers captured the season series with Colorado Colorado (3-1) to bring the Gold Pan back to Denver and extended their nation-leading unbeaten streak to nine games. Denver (23-10-5, 13-10-5 WCHA) secures fourth place with the win and will host seventh-place Colorado College (18-15-3, 11-15-3) next weekend in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs. The win came with a price for Denver. Senior Connor James (Calgary, Alberta), Denver's second-leading scorer, left the game late in the second period with a fractured right fibula and is ruled out for next weekend's series against the Tigers.

"The first 30 minutes of the game were terrific," head coach George Gwozdecky said. "There was flow and we played very well. The intensity and emotion was high out there. Our goaltender, (Adam) Berkhoel, was absolutely phenomenal. It feels good to bring the Gold Pan back to Denver."

Denver scored first in the opening stanza when senior Lukas Dora (Lednice, Czech Republic) instigated a high-stick penalty on the Tigers' Colin Stuart at 5:14, causing a 5-on-3 advantage for the Pioneers. Senior Greg Keith (Delta, British Columbia) benefited from the advantage when he blasted a one-timer from Jeff Drummond (Leduc, Alberta) at 6:20. Denver outshot the Tigers 21-3 in the first period and dominated both ends of the ice.

In a penalty-filled second period, Berkhoel made 10 saves to hold the one-goal lead. Just 1:30 into the second period, freshman J.D. Corbin (Littleton, Colo.) scored his third goal of the season to extend Denver's lead to two scores. The Tigers managed to cut the lead to 2-1 with a goal from Colin Stuart. Behind outstanding play from Berkhoel, the Pioneers crushed two 5-on-3 CC advantages and a breakaway by the Tigers' Trevor Frischmon to sustain the one-goal lead heading into the third.

The Pioneers opened the final stanza still down on the 5-on-3 advantage. However they were able to halt the Tigers opportunity and keep the 2-1 lead. With 9:47 left in the period, CC's Stuart scored his second goal of the game and third of the series to tie it 2-2. Senior Max Bull (Faribault, Minn.) drew a penalty from CC's Brett Sterling to give the Pioneers another 5-on-3 advantage and senior captain Caldwell took advantage of the opportunity and scored the game-winning goal from the low slot.

Denver outshot the Tigers, 41-29, and held CC without a power-play goal for the second consecutive game. Berkhoel improved to 20-9-4 overall and 7-0-2 during Denver's nine-game unbeaten streak. Colorado College freshman Matt Zaba made 38 saves for the Tigers.

The Pioneers and Tigers will drop the puck at 7:35 p.m. MT on Friday, March 5 at Magness Arena.