Denver rakes Gophers with shots

DENVER — After allowing a total of only 25 shots on goal over two nights two weekends ago against St. Cloud State, the Gophers must have felt like they had skated into an artillery range when they entered Magness Arena on Friday night for a WCHA showdown with Denver.

So much for being well-rested after having last weekend off.

The Pioneers extended the Friday night woes for the second-ranked Gophers, finishing off the visitors 5-3 in a wild one.

"I thought we were much too loose tonight," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "We put ourselves shorthanded much too much the first two periods ... and although the penalty kill did a good job just giving up one goal, you're using guys who you want to try and create offense.

"We just didn't have enough crispness to our game tonight. Denver was the better team, and they deserved to win."

The 14th-ranked Pioneers (16-9-4, 11-6-4 WCHA) put on a show for their hometown fans as they peppered Minnesota goaltender Kent Patterson with 34 shots, including 19 in the first period. They also staked themselves to an early 3-1 lead, beating him up stick-side, five-hole and glove-side in a span of just over eight minutes after the Gophers had grabbed a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal by Nate Condon in the middle of the period.

The equalizer for the Pioneers came just 40 seconds after Condon had scooped up a turnover in the Denver zone for the Gophers (19-10-1, 15-6) and blasted one past the otherwise brilliant Sam Brittain (31 saves) up high for his 10th score of the year and the short-lived lead.

The Gophers then came out swinging in the second as Kyle Rau netted his 14th goal of the year 1:56 in, beating Brittain glove-side on what had turned into a 4-on-3 to trim the lead to 3-2.

Similar to the first period, however, the Pioneers were quick to answer as Wild draft pick Jason Zucker took advantage of a Condon interference call to extend the Denver lead back to two just over two minutes later.

"You always have to come back strong after you score," said Condon, who missed out on a second scoring opportunity on a shorthanded breakaway that would have tied the score 2-2. "If you go out there and slack off after a goal, they are going to take it to you."

That's exactly what the Pioneers did Friday night.

The five goals given up by Patterson matched a season high by the senior, who also gave up five in a 5-4 loss Oct. 23 against Vermont before giving up only one goal in the next three games.