DENVER Tournament MVP Brock Trotter (Brandon, Manitoba) recorded a goal and two assists to send the No. 3 Denver Pioneers (16-4) to a 5-3 victory over Dartmouth (5-5-1) in the championship game of the Wells Fargo Denver Cup tonight before 6,036 fans at Magness Arena. Junior Chris Butler (St. Louis, Mo.) netted the game-winning goal and Tyler Bozak (Regina, Saskatchewan) added a goal and assist as the Pioneers extend their season-high winning streak to six games. Senior Peter Mannino (Farmington Hills, Mich.) earned the win with 29 saves.

 

Trotter gave DU an early 1-0 lead when he netted a breakaway goal off a feed from Bozak at 12:17 of the first period. Rob Pritchard tied it at 1-1 with the first of his two goals at 3:23 of the second period on the power play.

 

DU regained the lead on the power play when freshman Kyle Ostrow (Calgary, Alberta) buried a cross-ice feed from Trotter at 11:27 of the second period. Dartmouth tied the score at 2-2 when J.T. Wyman scooped up a loose puck in the neutral zone and slipped the puck past a diving Mannino for a shorthanded goal at 3:57 of the third period.

 

Martin flipped the puck from behind the net off of Dartmouth goaltender Mike Devine’s (31 saves) back and into the net at 9:13 of the third period and Butler scored the eventual game-winning goal on the power play at 14:13. Bozak’s empty-net goal at 18:50 iced the win for the Pioneers.

 

Anthony Maiani (Shelby Township, Mich.) and Patrick Mullen (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added two assists for Denver. The Pioneers converted 2-of-6 power-play chances, while Dartmouth went 2-of-8. Denver outshot Dartmouth 36-33 in the contest.

 

The Pioneers return to action Jan. 11-12 against Wisconsin at Magness Arena.

 

Notes: Phil Fox (Northern Michigan), Andrew Thomas (Denver), Wyman, Butler and Mannino joined Trotter on the all-tournament team.