COLORADO SPRINGS — University of Denver freshman Danton Heinen’s goal and two assists, and a strong performance by rookie goalie Tanner Jaillet, provided the difference in a 3-0 win over Colorado College in Game 2 of the annual Gold Pan Rivalry series.
“He was outstanding,” Pioneers coach Jim Montgomery said of his rookie netminder. “Without him we would have been behind 2-0 after the first period. I thought CC outplayed us most of the game but our top line and Tanner came through.”
Heinen scored with 8:15 left in the first period for a 1-0 lead and then made a pretty crossing pass to linemate Trevor Moore for an important insurance goal before an announced sellout crowd of 7,498 fans at The Broadmoor World Arena on Friday night.
“We talked about how their D like to be aggressive in the offensive zone and that left a man open on the opposite side,” Tigers coach Mike Haviland said. “I thought we played a good hockey game tonight.”
Jaillet recorded his first shutout with 30 saves to outduel CC sophomore netminder Tyler Marble (25 saves).
“Marble was terrific tonight,” Haviland said.
Moore added an empty-netter for his second goal of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference game on Heinen’s second assist with 1:36 left for the final margin.
The league win moved the No. 10-ranked Pioneers (16-9-1, 9-7 NCHC) into fourth place ahead of idle Miami, which plays Western Michigan on Saturday. The Pioneers need only record a tie in either game against the Tigers on Feb. 20-21 to take back the traveling trophy from last-place CC (5-19-1, 1-14-1).
Heinen redirected a waist-high shot by senior defenseman Joey LaLeggia to open the scoring. The puck beat Marble low for the eventual game-winner and the rookie’s 10th goal.
Jaillet came up big for the Pioneers over the final three minutes of the opening period with the Tigers outshooting DU by an 8-0 margin including three saves in rapid succession.
Both teams played a scoreless second. Marble made a number of big saves as the Pioneers crashed the net, including knocking off his helmet with 2:30 left and cutting his right eyebrow. He did not miss any ice time, getting fixed up during the subsequent media timeout.
“We played well like we did against North Dakota but we have to work on the little things that will get us over the hump,” CC senior defenseman Aaron Harstad said.
