DENVER – Junior forward Jared Wright scored midway through the third period and the No. 4 University of Denver hockey team held off a late push by the No. 10 Colorado College Tigers on Saturday night to win 4-3 in the regular-season finale at Magness Arena.
 
The victory secures Denver the No. 2 seed in the NCHC Playoffs, and the Pioneers will host No. 7 seed Minnesota Duluth in the best-of-three quarterfinal series next weekend at Magness Arena. Tickets are on sale now.
 
DU finished the regular season with a 24-9-3 overall record and a 15-7-2 mark and 45 point in NCHC play. The team's win on Saturday was in front of 7,033 in its own arena, a program record for the highest-attended game at Magness Arena.
 
Freshman Sam Harris had two goals for Denver while sophomores Rieger Lorenz and Wright both had a goal and an assist each. Juniors Shai Buium and Jack Devine and freshman Kieran Cebrian all had a helper apiece.
 
Goaltender Matt Davis made 22 saves, as the Pioneers outshot the Tigers 38-25.
 
The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and 3-3 at the end of the second frame before the Pioneers broke through with 8:16 remaining in the last stanza. Lorenz's outside shot ricocheted off the far post and the puck settled in the crease behind CC netminder Kaiden Mbereko where Wright dived to knock into the open cage.
 
Mbereko finished with 34 stops, while Dane Montgomery led the Tigers (20-12-3, 14-8-2 NCHC) with a goal and an assist. Evan Werner and Ethan Straky also scored.
 
Werner's marker was CC's only one on three power-play chances and Montgomery scored while the Tigers were shorthanded at 5:35 of the first period.
 
DU went 0-for-3 on the power play.
 
Denver finished the weekend with a series split after CC won 4-3 on Friday night at Ed Robson Arean in Colorado Springs to begin the home-and-home set.
 
UP NEXT: The Pioneers host Minnesota Duluth in the best-of-three NCHC Quarterfinals starting next Friday at Magness Arena. Friday's game is at 7 p.m., Saturday's start time is 6 p.m. and, if necessary, Sunday's Game 3 will begin at 6 p.m. MT.
 
 
GOAL SUMMARY
1st Period
5:35 CC (0-1) – SHG, Noah Laba forced a turnover in the neutral zone and passed it up to Drew Montgomery, who tallied on a rush.
13:40 DU (1-1) – Sam Harris took advantage after a CC player's stick broke on a pass attempt, as he grabbed the loose puck in the low slot and scored with a backhander.
 
2nd Period
4:14 DU (2-1) – Rieger Lorenz flicked a backhand shot over the shoulder, top corner from the right circle.
7:31 CC (2-2) – PPG, Evan Werner buried a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.
15:31 DU (3-2) – Sam Harris whacked in the puck from the low slot off passes from Jack Devine and Shai Buium.
19:41 CC (3-3) – Ethan Straky went top-shelf with a wrister after the Pioneers turned over the puck in their own end.
 
3rd Period
11:44 DU (4-3) – Jared Wright tapped in a loose puck behind the CC goalie in the crease after Rieger Lorenz's shot went off the post.