Box Score DENVER - Most Valuable Player
Drew Shore (Denver) tallied the game-winner and added an assist in the Pioneers' 3-1 win over Air Force in the championship game of the Denver Cup Classic tonight at Magness Arena.
Shore tallied six points (4g, 2a) in the tournament as the Pioneers' claimed their six consecutive win, second consecutive Denver Cup Classic title and 15th overall.
The Pioneers improved to 10-4-2 with the win, while Air Force falls to 5-7-1. Dustin Jackson (Omaha, Neb.) and Beau Bennett (Gardena, Calif.) added goals in the win, while Casey Kleisinger scored for Air Force.
"We were ready to go tonight," DU head coach George Gwozdecky said. "We started a little slow, but I thought we played our best 40 minutes of the season during the second and third periods. Drew Shore was very deserving of the MVP trophy with his six points this weekend."
Jackson redirected a David Makowski (Wildwood, Mo.) blast on the power play at 2:12 of the first period to give DU a 1-0 lead. Drew Shore earned the second assist on the play.
After winning a faceoff in the Air Force zone, Drew Shore buried an Anthony Maiani (Shelby Township, Mich.) pass on the power-play past goaltender Jason Torf (39 saves) at 15:05 of the second period.
Kleisinger beat Sam Brittain (25 saves) with a one-timer at 11:29 of the third period to cut Denver's lead to 2-1.
Bennett iced the win with a goal at 18:52 of the final period. Maiani earned his fourth assist of the weekend on the title-clinching goal.
DU won the shot battle, 42-26, including a 35-10 advantage over the final 40 minutes. The Pioneers went 2-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.
Denver plays at WCHA-leading Minnesota Duluth next weekend.
Notes: Air Force's Brad Sellers and Blake Page joined Denver's Drew Shore, Brittain, Jackson and Makowski on the Denver Cup Classic All-Tournament Team. Denver has outscored its opponents, 25-10, during its six-game winning streak. The Pioneers have scored at least one goal in the last 13 periods. Makowski extended his point streak to six games. Drew Shore has a four-game point streak and leads DU in scoring with 22 points (12g, 10a). Brittain has started 13 consecutive games for Denver. Maiani has a five-game point streak, while Bennett has a three-game point streak.
