Box Score DENVER -
Rhett Rakhshani (Huntington Beach, Calif.) tallied three assists to lead No. 1 Denver to a 3-1 win over Minnesota State in WCHA action tonight at Verizon Wireless Center.
Joe Colborne (Calgary, Alberta) scored the game-winner and
Tyler Ruegsegger (Lakewood) and
Matt Donovan (Edmond, Okla.) also scored as Denver extends its winning streak to nine games.
DU improves to 23-6-4, 17-4-4 in the WCHA and moves within two points of securing its 12th WCHA regular-season title. Denver can clinch its first WCHA title since 2005 with a win tomorrow night or a Wisconsin loss at Michigan Tech. Minnesota State falls to 14-17-2, 8-16-1.
"We played a pretty good road game tonight," DU head coach George Gwozdecky said. "I thought our power play improved in the third period and Marc Cheverie gave us another good effort between the pipes."
Colborne broke a 1-1 tie when he redirected a William Wrenn (Anchorage, Alaska) shot past Phil Cook (17 saves) on a delayed penalty for the game-winner at 6:51 of the final period. Donovan added the insurance goal when he buried a nifty cross-ice feed from Ruegsegger on the power play at 10:34.
Ruegsegger gave DU a 1-0 lead when he bounced a power-play goal off the back of Channing Boe and past Cook at 10:11 of the opening stanza. Rakhshani and Patrick Wiercioch (Maple Ridge, British Columbia) earned assists on the play.
Zach Harrison tied the game for Minnesota State at 11:19 of the second period with assists going to Rylan Galiardi and Mike Louwerse.
Cheverie improved to 20-3-3 with 28 saves. DU was outshot 29-20, but went 2-for-4 on the power play. Minnesota State was blanked on all four of its power-play attempts.
Puck drop is set for tomorrow night at 7:07 p.m.
Notes: Rakhshani leads DU in scoring with 18-25=43, while Ruegsegger is second with 16-19=35. DU matched its longest winning streak since 2005.
Follow DU athletics on the web at www.DenverPioneers.com
Follow DU athletics on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DU_Pioneers
Become a fan of the Denver Pioneers on Facebook.
