Omaha, Neb. – The No. 6 Denver Pioneers (19-8-5, 11-8-3-3) tied the Omaha Mavericks (9-20-3, 5-15-2-1) 3-3 before earning the extra point in the conference standings with Les Lancaster's coast-to-coast goal at 1:09 of NCHC overtime on Saturday at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Neb.
 
Denver led Omaha throughout the night, but struggled to close out the Mavericks' 11^th-ranked power play that went 3/6 on the night. Lancaster's individual effort helped the Pioneers take five of an available six points from their final road series of the regular season.
 
"It was an emotional hockey game," Richard and Kitzia Goodman Head Coach David Carle said. "We're ultimately happy we were able to get the extra point, but disappointed our special teams weren't executing to the level they were last night. You have to tip your hat to Omaha."
 
The Pioneers took the lead at 18:38 of the first period with Kyle Mayhew's first collegiate goal on a one-timer from Jake Durflinger's pass. Mayhew's goal marked his second point in three games skating as a forward. He had dressed in four games as a defenseman prior to this weekend. Denver's one-goal lead held for only 59 seconds before Omaha converted on its third power play of the period as Dean Stewart sent a shot through traffic to make it 1-1 before the first intermission.
 
The Pioneers rebounded from allowing a late first-period goal with a quick start in the second. After ringing a shot off the post in the opening minute of the period, the Pioneers found the net at 1:24 with Tyler Ward finding Liam Finlay open for a one-timer from the slot. Kohen Olischefski scored from the nearly identical spot at 13:22, finishing a faceoff play on a pass from Emilio Pettersen. The Mavericks would score once more on the power play before the end of the period to make it 3-2 ahead of the third. 
 
Devin Cooley shined through the majority of the third period, stopping two chances on an odd-man rush at 7:30 of the frame and denying Fredrik Olofsson at the net front at 11:36. Cooley's efforts would, however, be stymied by another power play at 14:40. The Mavericks tied the game 3-3 on the man advantage with Kevin Conley's shot from the right circle for his second goal of the game.
 
Ian Mitchell set up Jaakko Heikkinen at 3:59 for Denver's best opportunity of five-on-five overtime, but neither team converted leading to NCHC overtime and Lancaster's eventual winner.
 
The Pioneers went 0/2 on the power play. Cooley finished with 31 saves.

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