Nov. 12, 2005
Box Score
MANKATO, Minn. - Four different players scored and freshman goaltender Dan Tormey recorded his first career shutout with 23 saves to lead Minnesota State to a 4-0 win over No. 7 Denver in WCHA action tonight at Midwest Wireless Civic Center. Minnesota State outshot Denver, 33-23, and used a three-goal second period to ice the win and take three league points in the series. The Mavericks improved to 2-6-2 overall and 2-4-2 in the WCHA. DU, playing without injured Gabe Gauthier (Buena Park, Calif.), J.D. Corbin (Littleton, Colo.) and Julian Marcuzzi (N. Vancouver, British Columbia), falls to 5-4-1, 3-2-1.
"I thought we would play a better game than we did," head coach George Gwozdecky said. "We won't blame injuries for our effort tonight. Minnesota State played a terrific game and deserved the win."
David Backes, Jon Kalinski, Austin Sutter and Ryan Carter each scored one goal, while Kyle Peto chipped in two assists for the Mavericks who won for just the second time in eight games this season. The shutout was the first against the Pioneers this season.
Backes scored the game-winning goal in the first period when he roofed a centering pass from Brock Becker on the power-play at 5:57. The Mavericks dominated the shot battle, 9-1, and DU came up empty on three power-play attempts. Peter Mannino (29 saves) kept it a one-goal game with eight saves in the period.
The Mavericks turned the game into a rout with a three-goal second period. Kalinski scored in traffic at 4:51 and Sutter added his second goal of the season at 12:17. Carter finished the three-goal flurry with a power-play goal on a 4-on-3 advantage at 16:18. DU won the shot battle, 11-10, but Tormey kept the back-to-back NCAA champions off the scoreboard.
Tormey completed the shutout by stopping all 11 DU shots in the final period. The Mavericks finished 2-for-6 on the power play, while DU was blanked (0-for-7) on the power-play for the first time in five games.
DU returns home for a two-game WCHA series against Minnesota on Nov. 18-19. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:37 p.m. MT on Friday, Nov. 18. The game will be televised live on CSTV, FSN-Rocky Mountain and FSN-North.
