The No. 2 DU Pioneers extended their winning streak versus in-state rivals Colorado College to 11 games on Friday night, downing the Tigers by a score of 2-1 in front of a season-high 6,336 fans at Magness Arena. Junior goaltender Tanner Jaillet (Red Deer, Alta.) made 14 saves in backstopping Denver to victory, moving the Crimson & Gold to within two points of first place Minnesota-Duluth in the NCHC Standings in the process.
“I thought we played a really good team game tonight – the type of game you have to play in order to have success against a team like the Tigers,” Denver head coach Jim Montgomery said following Friday’s win. “Colorado College plays a slow, well-structured game that can be frustrating at times but full credit to them, they do a good job of playing that style. Tomorrow night we need to do a better job of executing on offense in order to get them out of their comfort zone which is what we fully plan on doing.”
The home team took an early 1-0 lead on Friday when junior blueliner Adam Plant (Penticton, B.C.) hammered home a one-timer from the point to register the second goal of his season in the second minute of play. Colorado Avalanche prospect Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.) and senior forward Emil Romig (Vienna, Austria) both drew helpers on Plant’s even-strength marker.
Denver went up 2-0 at the 5:34 mark of the middle frame when sophomore winger Jarid Lukosevicius (Squamish, B.C.) wired a wrist shot to the back of Colorado College’s net during a Pioneers power play. The Tigers then got on the scoreboard late in the second period when Matt Hansen converted in transition to cut the visitors’ deficit in half.
Period No. 3 saw Jaillet and CC goalie Alex Leclerc combine to make 18 saves on 18 shots faced as neither team was able to add to their respective goal total, with DU ultimately taking the decision by a 2-1 final.
Denver (19-6-4, 11-3-3-2 NCHC) and Colorado College (7-18-2, 3-12-2-0) will square off Saturday at Broadmoor World Arena (puck drop – 6:07pm) in the teams’ final meeting of the regular season.