MINNEAPOLIS — Jason Zucker scored the game-winning goal and freshman goalie Sam Brittain made 36 saves as Denver held on to first place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with a 2-1 win over Minnesota on Friday.
Zucker not only broke a tie with the Golden Gophers but with Minnesota Duluth. The defending champion Pioneers and Bulldogs entered Friday’s games tied for the WCHA lead. Denver’s win and the Bulldogs’ 8-2 loss to St. Cloud State leave the Pioneers alone at the top.
Zucker scored at 4:01 of the third period to break a 1-1 tie. Drew Shore scored on the power play for the Pioneers (18-6-5, 14-4-3) midway through the second period to tie it at 1-1.
Shore’s goal came less than three minutes after Erik Haula broke a scoreless tie with a goal at 10:02.
Ostrow sidelined. The Pioneers played without Kyle Ostrow, and the senior captain is expected to miss at least another three weeks after undergoing emergency abdominal surgery Friday afternoon.
“He had vascular surgery to the lower abdominal area,” coach George Gwozdecky said after his team’s victory over Minnesota. “He’s back at the hotel.”
Ostrow has four goals in his past five games.
John Shipley, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Denver 0 1 1 — 2
Minnesota 0 1 0 — 1
First period — None. Penalties — Makow-ski, Denver (holding), 9:01; Bjugstad, Minnesota (interference), 9:12; Nutini, Denver (hooking), 10:46; White, Minnesota (cross-checking), 13:58.
Second period — 1, UM, Haula 4 (Holl, Cepis), 10:02. 2, DU, Shore 17 (Makowski, Zucker), 12:42. Penalties — Phillips, DU (holding), 3:02; Bennett, DU (tripping), 5:54; Serratore, UM (interference), 12:00; Donovan, DU (tripping), 16:16.
Third period — 3, DU, Zucker 18 (Makow-ski), 4:01. Penalty — Donovan, DU (cross-checking).
Shots on goal — DU 10-9-11—30. UM 9-17-11—37. Goalies — DU, Brittain 13-4-5 (37 shots-36 saves). UM, Patterson 9-7-4 (30-28). Power-play opportunities — DU 1 of 2. UM, 0 of 6. A — 9,711.
