DULUTH, MN -- The No. 7 ranked UMD Bulldogs (3-3-1, 0-0-1 NCHC) clawed back to earn a 3-3 tie against the No. 1 Denver Pioneers (8-0-1, 0-0-1 NCHC) Friday night at Amsoil Arena. UMD used two third period goals, including an extra attacker goal with just 31 seconds left to send the game to overtime. After neither team scored in overtime, Denver was able to grab the extra NCHC standings point by scoring first in a sudden-death shootout. 

The game, which was the first conference contest for either team, got off to wild and physical start with Denver forward Jaakko Heikkinen slamming UMD forward Kobe Roth into the boards just 34 seconds in. Heikkinen went to the box for boarding, while Roth headed straight down the tunnel to the locker room after taking a while to get off the ice. 

“I was just trying to get the puck deep and next thing you know I was laying on the ice.” Roth said of the hit. 

Roth would return later in the period and confirmed post-game that he suffered nothing more than some bruises. 

On the ensuing powerplay UMD setup shop, but struggled to generate any chances towards the net. Their only real scoring chance came on a Noah Cates shot that was blockered away by DU goaltender, Magnus Chrona. 

After killing off the early penalty, the momentum began to shift as Denver gained its footing, smothering the Bulldogs defensively while seemingly skating circles around them in the offensive zone. 

The Pioneers would use this pressure to strike first just under four minutes into the game. Bulldog goaltender Hunter Shepard went to play the puck behind his net, unaware of a closing Denver forward. His attempted pass up the boards was intercepted by forward Tyson McLellan, who quickly found linemate Liam Finlay open in front for the empty net goal to make 1-0. 

Denver doubled up their lead eight minutes later on freshman forward Brett Edwards’ first collegiate goal. After Shepard made an initial save on a two on one, Edwards was able to out race Louie Roehl to the loose puck and sneak it in off the near post to make it 2-0 Pioneers.

Although looking thoroughly outmatched in much of the first frame, UMD was able to get one back just under three minutes later on a goal by sophomore forward Cole Koepke. Denver forward Ryan Barrow had a rebound hop over his stick and directly onto the tape of Koepke, who didn’t waste a second, sending it straight to the top corner past the reaching glove of Chrona for his first goal of the season. 

With the late goal, the Bulldogs were able to salvage a rough first period effort and find themselves down only one after a period of play. 

“I don’t want to say we gave them the lead,” head coach Scott Sandelin said post game. “We didn’t make it hard for them. They got the first couple goals, but I like the fact that we battled.”

UMD looked better to start the second period, making better passes on zone exits and spending more time in the offensive zone. Unfortunately they couldn’t convert anything into a goal. 

A series of penalties late in the period put UMD on a 4 on 3 powerplay where they had ample opportunity to tie the game at two a piece. 

First, Jackson Cates missed the net on an open shot from the slot, then junior forward Nick Swaney missed a wide open net, sending the puck through the crease behind Chrona and out the other side. 

Denver seized momentum just minutes later with a back-breaking goal, again by forward Liam Finlay. On his second goal of the night, Finlay was able to wire a one-timer through Shepard shortly after a faceoff. The goal gave the Pioneers a commanding 3-1 lead going into the final frame.

Early in the third, neither team was able to get much going, with Denver content to hang back and play more defensively. UMD once again got good looks at the net on the powerplay, but were once again unable to convert. The Bulldogs were finally able to get themselves back into the game following a boarding penalty by Denver forward Michael Davies with just under ten minutes to play.

On the ensuing powerplay, Swaney was able to gather a rebound and send it across the slot, through multiple Denver defenders to the waiting Kobe Roth. He took the pass and buried it, bringing UMD back within one at 3-2. 

Despite the new found life, the Bulldogs watched time tick down, unable to generate any real threat to the Pioneer lead. With a minute left in regulation, UMD gained possession of the puck and sent Shepard to the bench in favor of the extra attacker. After struggling to gain initial entry into the offensive zone, the Bulldogs were able to get setup, and quickly find the equalizer.

Junior defender, Scott Perunovich, took a pass from Swaney at the left point, baited in and waited out two Denver players, and sent a rocket of a pass across the ice to Noah Cates, who calmly one-timed the puck past Chrona to make it 3-3 with just 31 seconds remaining. 

With the score deadlocked at three a piece, the game headed to five on five overtime. In the extra session, neither team was able to generate much and the game officially entered the record books as a tie per NCAA rules.

The teams would skate in three on three overtime, looking to determine the recipient of the extra conference standings point. In the three on three session, UMD had numerous scoring chances stifled by Chrona, including multiple 2 on 1 opportunities.

Three on three came to a close with the teams still tied, so the game headed to a sudden-death shootout. Forward Jackson Cates shot first for UMD after the Bulldogs won the coin-toss to determine which team would go first. On his attempt his wrist shot was stopped by Chrona. 

Denver forward Brett Stapley took to the ice as the Pioneer’s first shooter, looking to end the shootout. On his attempt, he cut wide to the left of the net, coming across the crease before doubling back and tucking the puck past the outstretched pad of Shepard. 

Although not a win, the result was mostly positive for UMD. They were able to earn a tie against the undisputed best team in the country, in a game where they struggled mightily for more than two periods.

“Like I said our starts are our key.” Roth said. “I thought it was huge that we showed that we can come back there in the third period being down two goals. You know we had our chances so I think if we get a good start we’ll be on the right foot.”

Perunovich (2A) and Roth (1G 1A) each had two points to lead the way for the Bulldogs offensively. Forwards Cole Koepke and Noah Cates each added a goal in the tie. 

In net Hunter Shepard finished strong, ending the game with 30 saves on 33 shots, including multiple stellar saves on second chance opportunities. Denver’s freshman goaltender, Magnus Chrona, matched Shepard with an equally impressive performance turning away 28 of the 31 shots he faced, including nine in the third period. 

The Bulldogs look to hand Denver its first loss of the season in the second game of the series tonight at Amsoil Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. For those who can’t make it to the rink, the game can also be found on MY9 TV locally and on the radio on 610 KDAL AM.