It would have been the country’s biggest upset of the weekend, perhaps of the season.
One look at the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings, and the average fan would have thought Michigan Tech had no chance against the top-ranked University of Denver.
League followers, however, undoubtedly weren’t that surprised at the tight game that unfolded Friday night to begin a preliminary WCHA playoff series at Magness Arena.
League champion Denver (26-7-4) scored 37 seconds into the game and escaped with a 2-1 victory over the last-place Huskies (5-29-1).
“That’s probably one of the hardest working teams we’ve played all year,” said freshman center Drew Shore, the Denver native who had the game-winning assist in his first playoff game for DU. “You have to give them a lot of credit. It was certainly a tough game.”
Junior center Jesse Martin and senior wing Brian Gifford produced DU’s goals from an offense that generated 40 shots, and junior goalie Marc Cheverie made 18 saves to improve to 23-4-3.
If the Pioneers pin loss No. 30 on the visitors in tonight’s Game 2, NCAA Tournament-bound DU will punch its ticket for the league finals next weekend in St. Paul, Minn. If Michigan Tech wins its sixth game and survives another day, Game 3 will be Sunday night.
“With the win tonight, as tough as it was, we got it — and it’s going to give us a mental boost and hopefully we’ll be a little sharper offensively (in Game 2),” DU coach George Gwozdecky said.
Gwozdecky said final exams — the quarter ends today — took their toll on the Pioneers, who had a league- record 19 players named to the WCHA all-academic team.
“It’s the playoffs, and you expect tight, close, competitive games, and tonight was one,” Gwozdecky said. “From our standpoint, we weren’t as sharp offensively as we have been. . . . We have been burning the midnight oil trying to get our exams done.”
Martin scored on the first shift of the game and the Pioneers took their second lead on a nice play that involved defenseman John Lee and the Shore-centered line with wingers Gifford and freshman Chris Knowlton.
Lee and Knowlton were relentless in keeping the puck in the Huskies’ zone, and Gifford and Shore ultimately benefited with a nice scoring play against gassed defenders. It was capped by Gifford’s weakside one-time blast off Shore’s feed from between the circles with 4:15 left in the second period.
Cheverie stopped all nine of Michigan Tech’s third-period shots to maintain his NCAA- high .937 save percentage.
Michigan Tech 1 0 0 — 1
Denver 1 1 0 — 2
First period — 1, Denver, Martin 12 (Maiani, K. Ostrow), :37. 2, Michigan Tech, Nielsen 1 (Pietila, MacLeod), 15:31. Penalty — Nielsen, MTU (interference), 17:12.
Second period — 3, Denver, Gifford 3 (Shore, Knowlton), 15:45. Penalties — Doriott, MTU (tripping), 8:31; Phillips, DU (roughing), 12:23; Gwilliam, MTU (roughing), 12:23; Doriott, MTU (5-major, contact to the head), 16:52.
Third period — None. Penalties —Ryder, DU (holding), 2:36; K. Ostrow, DU (high sticking), 13:49; Dobson, MTU (interference), 16:34.
Shots — MTU 7-4-9 — 20. DU 17-16-7 — 40. Power plays — MTU 0 of 2. DU 0 of 4. Goalies — MTU, Robinson (1-11) 40 shots-38 saves. DU, Cheverie (23-4-3) 19-18. A — 4,329.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
RECAP
Post’s three stars
1. Brian Gifford.
The DU senior produced the game-winning goal.
2. Drew Shore.
Pioneers freshman had the game-winning assist and five shots.
3. Jesse Martin.
DU junior scored on his first shift.
What you might have missed
DU improved to 13-4-1 against Michigan Tech in the playoffs and has beaten the Huskies seven straight times overall.
Up next
Game 2, Michigan Tech vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
