DENVER – No. 7 Minnesota Duluth scored with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to rob the No. 1 Denver Pioneers (8-0-1, 0-0-1-1) of victory, but Brett Stapley's goal in the conference shootout gave Denver the extra point in the NCHC standings as the Pioneers tied the Bulldogs 3-3 on Friday at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn.
 
"I liked lots of our game," Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach David Carle said. "In the third period we're in a real good spot…we need to find a way to close games out. We have to find a way to stay out of the box in the third period. We gave them a chance and they capitalized on it."
 
Denver's 3-1 second-period lead slowly evaporated in the third as Minnesota Duluth cut the lead on the power play at 11:35, then pulled the goalie and tied the game with Noah Cates' one-timer in the final minute of regulation. The 3-3 tie held through the NCAA five-on-five overtime, as well as NCHC three-on-three overtime where Magnus Chrona's save on Cole Koepke's rush in the final minute highlighted the freshman goalie's 28-save game.

"I thought Magnus was our best player tonight and I'm not sure it was even close," Carle said. "I thought he was unbelievable."
 
The Pioneers benefited from an early Bulldogs hiccup as Tyson McLellan intercepted Hunter Shepard's attempt to play the puck behind the Bulldog net and centered a one-timer for Liam Finlay to score at 3:58 of the first. Denver extended its lead later in the frame as Brett Edwards buried the rebound from Tyler Ward's wrist shot at 11:45 for his first NCAA goal. The two-goal lead held for less than three minutes before Kopeke's wrist shot from the left circle beat Chrona to make it 2-1 after 20 minutes.
 
Finlay scored his second goal of the night at 15:45 of the second as McLellan won an offensive zone faceoff and Hank Crone fed Finlay for a shot from the left faceoff dot to make it 3-1.
 
Denver went 0/3 on the power play and 2/3 on the penalty kill…Tyson McLellan extended his point streak to five games with two assists…

UP NEXT: Denver men's hockey presented by Centura Health will close its first conference series of the season on the road against Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, Nov. 9.  

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-OUR JOURNEY, OUR TIME- 
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