HOUGHTON, Mich. Senior goaltender Peter Mannino (Farmington Hills, Mich.) set the University of Denver all-time shutouts mark at 14 with 21 saves in the No. 7 Pioneers’ 1-0 win over Michigan Tech in WCHA action tonight at MacInnes Student Ice Arena.
Denver moves into a second-place tie with North Dakota in the WCHA and clinches at least a third-place finish, improving to 22-10-1 overall and 16-8-1 in league play. Michigan Tech falls to 7-19-7, 3-19-5. The win snapped a five-game road losing streak for Denver, which posted its last road victory Dec. 15 at Alaska Anchorage.
Dustin Jackson (Omaha, Neb.) tallied the game-winning goal on the power play with 13 seconds left in the second stanza. Jackson slid a Kyle Ostrow (Calgary, Alberta) rebound into a wide open net with 13 seconds left the penalty-riddled period for his second career game-winning goal. Patrick Mullen (Pittsburgh, Pa.) also earned an assist on the play.
Mannino’s fifth shutout of the season moved him past Gerry Powers (1966-69) for the all-time lead at Denver. Mannino also moved into a tie for third on DU’s all-time wins list with Stephen Wagner (1996-2000) at 59. Mannino made seven saves in the first period, eight in the second and six in the third.
“We are extremely proud of Peter and his accomplishment,” DU head coach George Gwozdecky said. “He has been our MVP this season and he was terrific tonight.”
DU outshot Tech, 22-21, and went 1-for-6 on the power play. Tech was 0-for-4 with the man-advantage.
DU and Tech play game two of the series tomorrow night at 5:07 p.m. MT.
Notes: The Pioneers are sixth in the latest PairWise Rankings...Mannino and Andrew Thomas have been selected to participate in the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge April 11. Mannino and Thomas will compete for the West squad if DU fails to advance to the Frozen Four. Three of Mannino’s 14 career shutouts have come against Michigan Tech. DU has tallied a power-play goal in 12 of its last 15 games...Both of Jackson’s two career goals have been game-winners. Mullen has a three-game point streak, while Ostrow has a three-game assist streak. DU is 8-7 on the road.
