March 12, 2005
DENVER - Sophomore forward Adrian Veideman (Sicamous, British Columbia) scored the game-winning goal with 1:58 remaining in the game and goaltender freshman Peter Mannino (Farmington Hills, Mich.) made 24 saves for his fourth shutout of the season giving the second-ranked Denver Pioneers a 1-0 victory over Michigan Tech in the second game of their best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association Playoff series Saturday night in Magness Arena. The Pioneers defeated the Huskies 7-1 on Friday and completed the two-game sweep to advance to the WCHA Final Five for the first time since the 2001-02 season. With the win, Denver improves to 26-9-2, while Michigan Tech ends its season at 8-25-4.
Veideman scored on Denver's 46th shot, putting home a rebound after sophomore forward Gabe Gauthier (Buena Park, Colo.) made a took a loose puck to net. Denver provided some late drama while protecting the 1-0 lead. Senior Jeff Drummond (Leduc, Alberta) was called for a delay-of-game penalty with 39 seconds remaining. The penalty gave Tech a 5-on-3 advantage with goaltender Cam Ellsworth (45 saves) off the ice for the final one minute and 53 seconds remaining. Mannino and the Pioneers were up for the challenge as Denver killed off its eighth consecutive penalty of the weekend to preserve the victory.
"It was the kind of game where you have to grind it out and be patient," head coach George Gwozdecky said. "Offensively our timing was off and sometimes you have to score a dirty goal to win."
The Pioneers controlled play during the first period, but were unable to solve Ellsworth. Denver put 14 shots on goal including two great scoring opportunities during the Pioneers' first power play of the period. Ellsworth responded keeping the score 0-0 at the first intermission.
Denver continued to pressure on Ellsworth and the rest of the Huskies, registering 17 shots on goal during the second period. Like Ellsworth, Mannino matched him shot for shot, stopping 10 Tech shots which kept the score at 0-0 at the end of two periods.
The Pioneers held Michigan Tech's nationally-ranked power play unit to a 0-for-3 performance Friday night. Denver is 18-for-18 on the penalty kill in its last four games and 23-of-24 in its last four.
The Pioneers will return to action on Friday, March 18 in the semifinals of the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul, Minn. Denver will play at 1:37 p.m. MT, against the winner of the No. 4/5 seed game on March 17.
