WCHA roundup: Denver takes 3 points in series with CC

A slightly edited roundup from the WCHA offices:

Preseason MacNaughton Cup favorite Denver took over sole possession of first place by gaining three of four points from Colorado College in a battle of league co-leaders this past weekend in a home and home series.

As a result of weekend play, just three points separate the top five clubs in the WCHA standings. Denver (10-4-2, 8-2-2 WCHA) has gained sole possession of first place with 18 points, Colorado College (10-4-2, 7-3-2 WCHA) is second with 16, and there is a three-way tie for third place between Minnesota Duluth (10-5-1, 7-4-1 WCHA, St. Cloud State (8-6-2, 7-4-1 WCHA) and Wisconsin (10-5-1, 7-4-1 WCHA) – all with 15 points. Defending conference champion North Dakota (9-5-2, 6-5-1 WCHA) is sixth with 13 points – just two points out of third, Minnesota State (7-8-1, 5-8-1 WCHA) is seventh with 11 points, Minnesota (6-9-1, 4-7-1 WCHA) is eighth with nine points, Alaska Anchorage (6-12-0, 4-10-0 WCHA) is ninth with eight points, and Michigan Tech (3-11-0, 2-10-0 WCHA) is 10th with four points.

Both MSU and UAA have reached the halfway point of their 28-game league slates while the other eight member teams have all played 12 WCHA games.

This weekend there are four WCHA series on the docket as Michigan Tech hosts Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth entertains Denver, Colorado College visits St. Cloud State, and Wisconsin travels to North Dakota. In nonconference action, Minnesota State will play a weekend series at Bemidji State. Alaska Anchorage will be idle until a Jan. 8-9 league set at Denver.

DU MOVES INTO 1ST ALONE

Friday/ At the World Arena in Colorado Springs, a sellout crowd of 7,672 saw visiting Denver capture a 2-1 victory over host Colorado College as center Tyler Ruegsegger had a goal and an assist and Marc Cheverie stopped 26 of 27 shots. Ruegsegger's tally at 3:36 of the first period gave DU a 1-0 lead before left winger Rhett Rakhshani notched the eventual game-winner on a power-play at 2:59 of the second period. The Tigers battled back but came up one-goal short as defenseman Nate Prosser scored a power-play goal at 2:20 of the third. CC outshot DU 27-18.

(A penalty shot with 40 seconds to play in regulation? What gutsy official called that? ... Ruegsegger and Rakhshani, two seniors, seem to have carried DU this weekend.)

BULLDOGS, SIOUX SPLIT

Friday/ Before 5,057 at the DECC in Duluth, visiting North Dakota scored three times in the second period, with left winger Jason Gregoire (2g) netting the game-winner on a power-play at the 18:56 mark, en route to a 4-2 WCHA road victory over host Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs, following a goal by center Drew Akins (1g, 1a) at 8:32 of the first period, held that lead until center Darcy Zajac got the Sioux going with a red-lamplighter at 4:44 of period two. In goal, UND's Brad Eidsness stopped 29 of 31 shots on goal for the victory while Kenny Reiter had 32 stops for UMD.

Saturday/ At the DECC in Duluth on Saturday, UMD scored three unanswered goals to overcome a 2-0 third period deficit and gain a 3-2 overtime win over North Dakota before a sellout crowd of 5,361. Center Travis Oleksuk scored the game-tying goal for UMD with an extra attacker at 19:27 of the third before right winger Justin Fontaine netted the game-winner on a power-play at 0:12 of overtime. For UND, Brad Malone and Brett Hextall scored goals.

(What a comeback for the Dogs on Satuday. Now the Sioux how the Gophers felt when UMD rallied twice from two-goal deficits to sweep the U of M at Mariucci a couple weeks ago.)

HUSKIES SWEEP

Saturday/ In Anchorage, visiting St. Cloud State captured a 3-2 win over the Seawolves before 2,850, despite being outshot 29-24 and being held scoreless on six power-play attempts. The Huskies completed the sweep behind a pair of second-period goals from center Aaron Marvin – a shorthander at 0:25 and the game-winner at 8:13. Also for SCSU, defensemen Oliver Lauridsen had two assists while goaltender Mike Lee made 27 stops. For UAA, right winger Kevin Clark scored the game's first goal on a power-play at 2:34 of the first period while center Craig Parkinson's third period tally closed the gap to one.

BADGERS SWEEP

Friday/ Center Blake Geoffrion's hat trick and defenseman Brendan Smith's four assists helped power Wisconsin past Michigan Tech 8-2 Friday at the Kohl Center before 12,050. The Badgers owned a 46-22 advantage in shots on goal, were 3-of-5 on power-play chances and had points from 13 players. For MTU, defenseman John Kivisto and center Brett Olson scored on power plays.

Saturday/ At the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin received three-point games from three players –including defenseman Brendan Smith – and Scott Gudmandson had a 16-save shutout in a 6-0 WCHA victory over Michigan Tech before 13,563. Smith's power-play goal at 16:34 of the first period held up as the winner while winger Michael Davies had a goal and two assists and center Derek Stepan had three helpers.