DENVER - Coming off a tough 5-3 loss on Friday night and without the services of second-leading scorer Kyle Rau because of a one-game suspension, the No. 2-ranked Gophers wasted no time in asserting themselves in night two of a WCHA back-to-back with No. 14 Denver University at Magness Arena.
Before the majority of Pioneers fans had even settled into their seats on Saturday night, Erik Haula had already sped up the left side of the ice and let loose a wrist shot that found the back of the net just 38 seconds in, giving the visitors the quick 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately for the Gophers, however, despite keeping the Pioneers (17-9-4, 12-6-4 WCHA) off the board until late in the second, they couldn't hold a 2-0 or a 3-2 lead, and gave up a power-play goal with just over a minute remaining in the third to Nick Shore, that sent the game to overtime.
Once in the extra session Shore scored again, just 17 seconds in, giving DU the 4-3 win and putting the Gophers (19-11-1, 15-7-0) on the losing end of a sweep for the first time this season.
"I thought we came out and played well for the first couple periods," said the big-bodied Zach Budish, who put the Gophers up 2-0 with a power-play goal with 4:43 remaining in the second period. "[We made] a couple mental mistakes there in the third, though, and that will cost you."
None was bigger than the high-sticking penalty taken by Justin Holl with just 3:09 to play and the Gophers protecting a 3-2 lead. With only 17 ticks remaining on the Pioneers' man-advantage, Shore got the puck off a left-circle faceoff, beat Patterson and sent the game into the extra session, scoring Denver's second power-play goal of the night.
"They [DU] had the No. 1 power play in the league coming into the weekend, something we were obviously aware of. ... We have to do a better job of exercising some discipline," said associate head coach Mike Guentzel. "I think our guys realize the fight they are in right now. I mean, it's a battle."
Following the loss, the Gophers sit just one point ahead of No. 3 Minnesota Duluth (19-7-4, 13-6-3) and two points ahead of Denver, with three weekends remaining in the race for the WCHA crown.
Minnesota goalie Kent Patterson, just one night after giving up five goals on 34 shots, gave up four on 40 Saturday. Aside from the two to Shore, Shawn Ostrow beat him for the second time on the weekend, scoring on a clean breakaway with 2:23 to go in the second to cut the Gophers' lead to 2-1, and Luke Salazar tied things up at 2-2, going top shelf at the 2:23 mark of the third on a 4-on-3 that was set up by a roughing call on Budish.
Nico Sachetti put the Gophers back on top at 3-2 with his second goal of the season, scoring at 10:07 of the third, tipping a Sam Warning rebound past Denver goaltender Sam Brittain for the Gophers' second score from inside the crease on the night.
Minnesota now returns to Mariucci Arena, where it will put its 12-5-0 home record to the test against Bemidji State (15-12-3, 9-10-3) beginning Friday.
