The Wizards of Gwoz overcame North Dakota and two questionable calls to produce points for the 54th consecutive conference series Saturday night, extending one of the country’s most impressive — albeit unsung — streaks in college sports.
With a hard-working 5-3 victory over the Fighting Sioux in an animated atmosphere at Magness Arena, coach George Gwozdecky’s Pioneers split the two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series and clinched home-ice advantage for the first round of the league playoffs.
“Certainly, that locker room from (Friday) night until the start of tonight’s game, it was quiet, it was sour,”said Gwozdecky, whose team fell behind 4-0 in Game 1 before losing 4-3. “I don’t want to say angry, but maybe as close to anger as you can about how we played, and I thought we responded in a good way. We responded very well against a very good opponent.”
Denver (19-11-4, 14-8-4) avoided being swept in a WCHA series for the first time since 2008 — at St. Cloud State when the senior class was two months into their freshman season. Chris Knowlton had a spectacular shorthanded goal and added a power-play tally, and Jason Zucker and Scott Mayfield also scored with the advantage. Nick Shore’s game-opening goal came seconds after a Sioux power-play expired.
DU never trailed. “It was a huge win,” Knowlton said. “They pummeled us (Friday) night. They really took it to us. We weren’t ready to play. But tonight we came out, set the tone early and got the two points that we needed.”
Pioneers freshmen Matt Tabrum and Joey LaLeggia were issued game misconducts by referee Brad Shepherd, for checking from behind and head-butting, respectively. Tabrum’s hit on defenseman Ben Blood in the corner appeared relatively harmless, perhaps a boarding minor, and replays failed to prove LaLeggia head-butted Blood during a DU goal celebration.
It was a typical, chippy game between the fierce rivals, with Shepherd and partner Todd Anderson often at the center of attention.
“There were punches thrown, (including) by myself,” LaLeggia said. “It was the refs call, I can’t say I agree with it but that’s hockey. We got the win and that’s all that matters.”
UND (18-12-3, 14-11-1) failed to capitalize on either five-minute power play. DU went 3-of-7 with the advantage, including Knowlton’s goal during Michael Park’s major for contact-to-the-head on DU defenseman John Ryder in the waning minutes.
“The difference was specialty teams,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said. “Five-on-5, it was a pretty tight, checking, hard-fought game.”
Knowlton made it 5-2 with 2:25 remaining and the Sioux’s Brock Nelson scored his second goal of the game with 1:17 to play.
The Pioneers, who remain in third place in the WCHA, conclude the regular season this weekend with a two-game series at Nebraska Omaha. DU is tied for 11th in the PairWise Rankings; UND is 14th.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
DU Recap
The Post’s three stars
1. Chris Knowlton. Short-handed goal, power-play goal and assist for DU junior wing.
2. Nick Shore. Had two points, including a goal.
3. Scott Mayfield. A goal and a team-high five shots.
What you might have missed
DU honored former Denver-area youth hockey player Cody Beekman, 21, and Dawg Nation during a second-period timeout. Beekman was seriously injured by a drunken driver, and Dawg Nation, a group of beer-league hockey players, has provided financial and spiritual support for Cody and his family.
Up next
At Nebraska Omaha, Friday at 6:30 p.m.
