It was either a bipartisan crowd at Magness Arena on Friday night or more than 3,000 fans were celebrating an early St. Patrick’s Day.
Green-glad North Dakota fans were everywhere, enjoying themselves early and often during the Fighting Sioux’s 4-3 victory over a not-ready-for-prime time University of Denver.
Before a national television audience, the Pioneers were ambushed, allowing 15 of the game’s first 16 shots and playing on their heels during much of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series opener.
The Sioux (18-11-3, 14-10-1 WCHA), who built a 4-0 lead, improved to 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Denver (18-11-4, 13-8-4) remains third in the league standings, a point ahead of UND, with three regular-season games remaining.
DU’s Drew Shore, Joey LaLeggia and Jason Zucker (power play) produced late third-period goals, the latter with 10.7 seconds remaining. Shore prevented the shutout with 5:26 remaining, and LaLeggia struck with 47 seconds left.
“It’s hard to say anything good about that game. You can say, yeah, we scored (three goals), but you have to give full credit to North Dakota. They were better than us in every department,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “This is probably one of the most difficult interviews I’ve had to do in a long time because I’m extremely disappointed.”
The Pioneers, who have lost two consecutive games, will be in jeopardy of getting swept in a WCHA series for the first time since 2008 (54 series).
Junior wing Danny Kristo assisted and scored one of the Sioux goals to give the visitors a 2-0 lead after two periods. Kristo forced a turnover near the DU bench and fed the puck ahead to junior center Corban Knight, who beat goalie Sam Brittain in a one-on-one situation in front of the goalmouth 7:07 into the game.
Kristo doubled the lead 7:21 into the second period on a penalty shot, beating Brittain with a snap shot between the goalie’s pads. Kristo was tripped from behind by DU defenseman Paul Phillips, giving referee Todd Anderson ample reason to call the penalty shot.
Junior center Carter Rowney and freshman wing Stephane Pattyn scored within the first 10 minutes of the third period to chase Brittain. The Pioneers, who were outshot 17-4 in the first 20 minutes, were outshot 32-20 when junior Adam Murray relieved Brittain.
North Dakota went 1-for-5 on the power play and killed off DU’s only two chances with the man-advantage before Zucker struck right after the game’s final penalty. Just after Knight’s goal, the Pioneers didn’t appear to produce a shot during Andrew MacWilliam’s five-minute major, an advantage that was shortened because of John Lee’s hooking minor.
MacWilliam was assessed a contact-to-the-head major and game misconduct for a high hit on DU freshman center Matt Tabrum.
DU has lost its past three games against North Dakota. The Sioux won the WCHA Final Five championship game with a 3-2 win in double overtime last March, a week before the Pioneers absorbed a 6-1 loss to UND at an NCAA Tournament regional title game in Green Bay, Wis.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
DU Recap
The Post’s three stars
1. Danny Kristo. Sioux junior wing had a goal and an assist.
2. Corban Knight. Junior center had UND’s second goal.
3. Joey LaLeggia. DU freshman defenseman had a goal and was plus-2.
What you might have missed
Former longtime NHL referee Kerry Fraser worked the play-by-play telecast for NBCSP, and former Avalanche assistant coach Jacques Martin scouted the game for the Montreal Canadiens.
Up next
North Dakota, Game 2 series finale tonight, 7
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
