Feb. 17, 2006
Box Score
MINNEAPOLIS - Ryan Potulny scored two goals, including the game-winner at 12:24 of the third period, as the top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers edged the No. 7 Denver Pioneers, 3-2, in WCHA action tonight before 10,189 fans at Mariucci Arena. With the win, Minnesota (20-6-5, 15-5-3 WCHA) moves ahead of DU (18-11-2, 15-6-2 WCHA) into first place in the WCHA with 33 points. DU is tied for second with Wisconsin at 32 points. The loss ended DU's season-high seven-game winning streak and eight-game road winning streak.
Denver failed to capitalize on its second five-minute power play of the game in the middle of the final period. Minnesota's penalty-kill unit outworked DU's power-play unit for the five minutes and the momentum helped lift the Golden Gophers past the Pioneers moments later. Potulny scored his second game-winning goal of the season when he buried his own rebound from the slot past Glenn Fisher (Edmonton, Alberta) less than two minutes after burning off the five-minute DU power play. DU pulled Fisher for the final 70 seconds, but failed to send the game to overtime.
"Give credit to Minnesota's penalty-kill unit," head coach George Gwozdecky said. "We didn't execute our power play on either five-minute advantage and Minnesota took advantage. We'll regroup and be ready to go tomorrow night."
Minnesota's Ben Gordon scored the lone goal of the first period. Gordon redirected an R.J. Anderson shot past Fisher at the right faceoff circle at 10:37. The Golden Gophers outshot DU, 8-7, and the Pioneers failed to capitalize on two power-play opportunities during a five-minute power play from a major checking-from-behind penalty on Minnesota's P.J. Atherton at 14:46.
Ryan Dingle (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) tied the game for DU at 6:52 of the second period. He tallied his 20th goal and 12th power-play goal when he slid a Paul Stastny (St. Louis, Mo.) centering pass from the low slot past Kellen Briggs (22 saves). Minnesota quickly regained its one-goal lead when Potulny beat Fisher high to the glove side at 7:18. Patrick Mullen (Pittsburgh, Pa.) tied it at 2-2 with a lunging shot from the slot at 12:57. Mullen hustled after his own rebound that caromed hard off the back boards from the left faceoff circle. The goal was Mullen's seventh of the season and third in the past two games. Minnesota won the shot battle, 13-9, and carried a 21-16 shot advantage into the final stanza.
Minnesota outshot DU, 33-24, in the game and finished 1-for-6 on the power play. The Pioneers were 1-for-4 with the man-advantage, but only mustered seven total power-play shots.
DU will try for a series split with Minnesota tomorrow night. Puck drop is set for 6:07 p.m. MT.
