Jan. 13, 2006

Box Score

DENVER - The No. 18 Denver Pioneers lost their third consecutive game and fourth consecutive home contest with an 5-1 defeat at the hands of St. Cloud State tonight in front of 6,145 fans at Magness Arena. St. Cloud State (10-8-3, 5-7-1 WCHA) goaltender Bobby Goepfert stopped 30-of-31 shots by the Pioneers (11-10-2, 8-5-2 WCHA), whose lone goal was scored in the first period by junior defenseman Matt Carle (Anchorage, Alaska).

DU junior goaltender Glenn Fisher (Edmonton, Alberta), who was replaced by sophomore Peter Mannino (Farmington Hills, Mich.) after SCSU went ahead 4-1 at 5:45 of the second period, totaled 14 saves on the night. Mannino finished the game and allowed one goal on 10 shots.

Denver was unable to score on six power plays while St. Cloud State notched one extra-man goal on five opportunities. After recording 19 shots in the first period, the Pioneers were able to total only 12 shots for the remaining two periods.

The Pioneers have lost four consecutive home games for the first time since they opened the 2000-01 home schedule in that fashion. In addition, DU's three-game losing streak is its longest since a three-game slide in March of the 2002-03 campaign.

"When you're a team that's struggling with its offense like we are, you hope to get a bounce or break to get up on your opponent," DU Head Coach George Gwozdecky said. "Even though we did start out with good energy, we had too many turnovers in our own zone during the first period, and that's been our Achilles' heel all season."

The opening period saw both teams generate numerous scoring chances, but the Pioneers found themselves trailing 3-1 at the first intermission despite outshooting SCSU 19-15 and having two power plays. The three scores allowed by Denver tied for the most goals it gave up in the first period all year, taking into account the 3-0 lead North Dakota built in the first period on Oct. 28.

DU successfully killed a St. Cloud State power play in the opening period, relying on a Fisher save off a one-timer by center Joe Jensen in the slot late in the man advantage to keep the game scoreless. Less than a minute after that penalty expired, Jensen slipped the puck between Fisher's pad and the right goal post at 5:44 for a 1-0 Huskies lead.

Billy Hengen's power-play goal put St. Cloud State ahead 2-0 at 9:04 of the first period. Jensen collected a rebound to the left of the net off a Fisher glove save and backhanded it across the crease to set up Hengen's tally.

Carle got DU on the board at 14:08 of the first period, flipping a backhanded shot in traffic past Goepfert on play set up by sophomore center Geoff Paukovich (Englewood, Colo), who returned to action after competing in the IIHF World Junior Championships. The Huskies answered a little more than two minutes later when Gary Houseman put SCSU ahead 3-1 with his goal at 16:11.

St. Cloud State extended its lead to 4-1 on Aaron Brocklehurst's goal 5:45 into the second period, and the Pioneers replaced Fisher with Mannino after the score. DU had an opportunity to get back in the game on the power play with nine-and-a-half minutes remaining in the period, but Goepfert stopped a wide-open Gabe Gauthier (Buena Park, Calif.) on the doorstep after the senior center made several fakes.

The Huskies took a 5-1 advantage into the second intermission on Dan Kronick's tally at 19:43.

Denver returns to action tomorrow night against St. Cloud State with the puck drop set for 7:07 p.m. MST.