COLORADO SPRINGS — Minus injured first-line center Rylan Schwartz, who leads the country in goals-per-game (1.18), the Colorado College Tigers still managed to tame their rivals Friday night.
In a nationally televised game that ended after the local newscast because of the 8 p.m. start, chippy play, video review, a broken pane of glass, overtime, and, yes, a game-deciding penalty shot, CC defeated the University of Denver 4-3 to tie the Gold Pan series at one game apiece.
Alexander Krushelnyski’s penalty-shot goal with 1:14 remaining in overtime was the difference before a sellout crowd of 7,674 at the World Arena. After being hacked from behind on a breakaway by Pioneers defenseman David Makowski, the CC sophomore wing put a fancy, backhanded drop shot behind DU freshman goalie Juho Olkinuora.
DU sophomore Beau Bennett tied it with 5:52 left in the third period. He retrieved the puck out of the corner, skated into the left circle, split two defenders and wristed it past goalie Joe Howe.
Howe made a sprawling save on Jason Zucker in the final minute of regulation, after Zucker sprang free on a breakaway and was looking to complete a hat trick. The sophomore wing had DU’s first two goals.
Howe also made a fabulous glove save on freshman defenseman Joey LaLeggia with less than a second in regulation.
“We created enough chances to win. There’s no question about it,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “We didn’t score enough. In a game like this, when we had all those chances early and late, that’s a really positive thing, but whether it was Howe making some great saves or us just missing the net, it wasn’t enough. We allowed CC to hang around. No disrespect to CC but we have to do a better job finishing.”
Zucker scored his second goal on the power play 3:22 into the second period to give DU a 2-1 lead. He took a pass from Nick Shore, whiffed on a shot, retrieved the puck between a defender’s skates, and shot it inside the near post from the left circle.
The lead didn’t last long. CC junior winger Scott Winkler beat Olkinuora with a wrist shot on a 2-on-1 rush at 6:04, after faking the pass, and junior defenseman Joe Marciano blasted in a one-timer during a power play at 14:46.
Between Zucker’s goal and Winkler’s equalizer, DU failed to capitalize on a three-minute power play after CC’s Eamonn McDermott was assessed a five-minute major for elbowing Nate Dewhurst. The advantage was trimmed to three minutes because of freshman Ty Loney’s roughing minor for retaliation.
DU and CC return to their traditional home-and-home weekend series Feb. 3.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
DU Recap
The Post’s three stars
1. Alexander Krushelnyski.
Two goals for the CC winger, including penalty-shot winner.
2. Jason Zucker.
Two goals, three points and nine shots for the DU sophomore wing.
3. Joe Marciano.
Defenseman gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead.
What you might have missed
The nationally televised doubleheader wasn’t available to viewers until late in the first period, after Boston University completed its 5-3 triumph at Boston College.
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
