The governor didn’t phone Magness Arena on Saturday night.
But the NCAA two-time defending hockey champions were granted a stay of execution.
Thanks to Ryan Helgason’s backhanded prayer with 4:29 remaining and a controversial disallowed Minnesota-Duluth goal with 6.8 seconds left, the Pioneers defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 to keep their hopes of a three-peat alive for another day.
Both teams’ seasons will be on the line in tonight’s finale of the three-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series, because neither would likely get an NCAA Tournament bid without advancing or winning this week’s WCHA Final Five in St. Paul, Minn.
“Right now you have two teams preparing for a third game in three nights, and there’s going to be a fatigue factor,” said DU coach George Gwozdecky, whose No. 2-seeded team was stunned 3-2 in overtime Friday by the No. 9-seeded Bulldogs. “I’m sure it’s going to be one heck of a battle.”
The hot topic after a crowd of 5,657 dispersed from Game 2 wasn’t Helgason’s fluke game-winning goal or tonight’s game, but the high stick called on Tim Stapleton that negated a probable overtime.
Stapleton’s redirect off a blue-line blast from Matt Niskanen was disallowed by assistant referee Tim Swaider the moment it happened and then by referee Jon Campion from video replay.
“We saw it as a high stick and we called it right away, and Timmy Swaider, the AR, called it right away,” Gwozdecky said. “There was no doubt.”
Minnesota-Duluth coaches were furious, claiming Stapleton tipped the puck past DU goalie Peter Mannino when the puck and Stapleton’s stick were below his shoulders.
“Yeah, I disagree with it big-time,” Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin said.
Helgason’s goal came after DU failed to capitalized on two consecutive power plays. Helgason chased a loose puck into the corner and whirled and turned for an attempted blind back-pass to the front of the net. The puck caromed into the net off Minnesota-Duluth goalie Nate Ziegelmann’s skate.
DU went ahead 2-0 on Ryan Dingle goals, the latter 2:16 into the second period. But then the Pioneers committed five of the period’s six penalties.
Minnesota-Duluth 0 1 1 – 2
Denver 1 1 1 – 3
First period – 1, Denver, Dingle 26 (Corbin, Carle), 14:56. Penalties – Raymond, UMD (high sticking), 11:30; May, DU (slashing), 18:38.
Second period – 2, Denver, Dingle 27 (Carle, Corbin), 2:16. 3, Minnesota-Duluth, Garrison 2 (Stapleton), 19:31 (pp). Penalties – Corbin, DU (tripping), 4:54; Gauthier, DU (holding), 6:37; Niskanen, UMD (roughing), 6:37; Thomas, DU (cross checking), 10:04; Paukovich, DU (charging), 13:40; Stastny, DU (roughing), 18:49.
Third period – 4, Minnesota-Duluth, Gergen 13 (unassited), 5:45. 5, Denver, Helgason 9 (Butler), 15:31. Penalties – Gergen, UMD (roughing), :30; Carle, DU (roughing), McKnight, UMD (interference), 7:31; Gawryletz, UMD (cross checking), 13:08.
Shots – UMD 9-12-10-31. DU 13-5-12-30. Power plays opportunities- UMD 1 of 5. DU 0 of 3. Goalies – UMD, Ziegelmann (1-4) 30 shots-27 saves. DU, Mannino (12-7-1) 31-29. A – 5,657.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
