DENVER - Denver took advantage of 11 power-play opportunities, including six second-period chances that led to three goals, as the third-ranked Pioneers completed a WCHA series sweep with a 3-2 win over the second-ranked Fighting Sioux.
With the victory, the Pioneers (8-3-1, 6-1-1 WCHA) moved into a three-way tie for first place in the WCHA standings, while the Sioux (7-4-1, 5-4-1) fall to fourth place, two points behind the league leaders. The loss was UND's third in a row.
The Sioux dominated the opening 20 minutes, building a 2-0 lead on power-play goals by freshman F Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and senior F Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead, Minn.).
Kristo's goal opened the scoring just 3:23 into the game. Manning the point on the power-play, Kristo wristed a shot through traffic that eluded DU goalie Marc Cheverie high to the blocker side. It was Kristo's second goal of the season.
Almost exactly 14 minutes later, VandeVelde struck with the man advantage, beating Cheverie to the short side with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle.
The Sioux outshot the Pioneers 11-7 in the period.
However, things unraveled in the second period when the Sioux were whistled for seven minor penalties, including five straight at one point.
The Pioneers got on the board at the 1:09 mark when Joe Colborne converted a centering feed from Kyle Ostrow for his first of two goals on the night.
Colborne added his second at 5:22 on a fortunate bounced. DU defenseman Patrick Wiercioch directed a point shot at the Sioux net that ricocheted off of the body of Colborne for his second power-play goal in a four-minute span.
The Pioneers grabbed the lead for good at 8:33 after UND's penalty killers were stuck on the ice for the first 1:45 of a Brad Malone (Jr., Miramichi, New Brunswick) penalty. Colborne, stationed to the right of UND goalie Brad Eidsness (So., Chestermere, Alberta) threaded a goalmouth pass to Ostrow on the other side of the net for the easy tap in and the eventual game-winning goal.
With the Sioux forced to 14 minutes in penalties, DU was able to build a 22-7 shots on goal advantage in the period. In all, the Pioneers directed 41 shot attempts at the Sioux goal during the period.
Much like one night earlier, UND pressed for the equalizer in the third period but to no avail despite outshooting the Pioneers 8-3.
The Sioux thought they had tied the game with 43.9 seconds remaining, but an apparent Malone goal was waved off after video review indicated it was kicked into the net.
DU finished the night 3-for-11 on the power-play, notching 17 of its 32 shots with the man advantage.
UND went 2-for-7 on the power-play.
Eidsness was strong in defeat once again, stopping 29 shots. Cheverie finished with 24 saves.
UND returns to action next weekend when it hosts non-conference foes Ohio State and top-ranked Miami in the Subway Holiday Classic.
~Go Sioux~
