DENVER, Colo. (Magness Arena) -- A five-goal second period and career night for Drew Shore propelled the University of Denver men’s ice hockey team past Bemidji State University, 6-3, Friday in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) action at Magness Arena in Denver, Colo.
A night which served as a homecoming of sorts for BSU blueliner Kyle Brodie (So., Northglenn, Colo.), who grew up in the shadows of Denver, despite a career-best goal and an assist, it was Shore, who stole the show leading all players with two goals and three assists and logging his 100th career point in the game.
BSU out played the Pioneers in the first period out shooting the host 10-5 and taking a 1-0 lead on Brodie’s slap shot from the top of the left circle just 5:19 in, but gave up five goals on nine shots in a second period that would doom the Beavers.
The Pioneers opened the second with back-to-back goals separated by just 1:58 to claim their first lead of the night, 2-1.
Ty Loney got DU on the board at the 2:28 mark of the second when he flipped a backhand past BSU goaltender Andrew Walsh (Fr., Dawson Creek, British Columbia). At the 3:44 mark, BSU’s Sam Windle (Fr., D, Maple Grove, Minn.) was whistled for interference. It would take DU just 42 seconds to find the back of the net. Shore scored his first goal of the night scooping a rebound over the shoulder of Walsh.
The Beavers caught a spark when Brodie intercepted a DU pass in the neutral zone and tipped it ahead to Jordan George (Jr., F, Madison, Wis.). BSU’s leading scorer skated the puck into the zone and wound up for a slap shot for the top of the left faceoff circle that found the back of the net to tie the game, 2-2, at the 6:17 mark of the second. The scoring play resulted in George’s team-leading 12th goal of the season and the first collegiate multi-point effort for Brodie.
With Jeff Jubinville (So., F, Edmonton, Alberta) and Nick Shore already in the box and the teams playing 4-on-4, Aaron McLeod (Jr., F, Ottawa, Ontario) was booked for tripping at the 11:44 mark of the period. The Pioneers’ fourth power-play opportunity of the night served as the fulcrum point of the game. Joey LaLeggia potted is ninth goal of the year just 20 seconds later. Shore and Loney would each add their second goals of the night before time ran out in the period and DU carried a 5-2 lead into the final 20 minutes of play.
Orban, who assisted on Brodie’s goal, garnered his second point of the contest with a power-play goal to cap a nifty passing play from Danny Mattson (Fr., F, Minneapolis, Minn.) and Radoslav Illo (So., F, Bystrica, Slovakia) at the 8:38 mark of the third to bring the Beavers to within two goals, 5-3.
Denver would be called or three penalties during the final seven minutes of play providing BSU with opportunities to get back in the game, but Chris Knowlton would end the Beavers’ comeback hopes prematurely when he scored an empty-net goal with 2:14 left on the clock to extend DU’s lead to three goals, 6-3.
The loss snapped BSU’s five-game wining streak extending back to a Dec. 10 victory over Denver, 2-1.
BSU is now 1-10-0 all-time versus the Pioneers in a rivalry dating back to 1967 and have yet to win a game in Denver (0-7-0).
Walsh was tagged with the loss after allowing five goals on 23 shots. The freshman’s record dips to 6-3-1 on the season.
On the other end, Adam Murray turned aside 27 shots and allowed three goals in 60: minute to play to gain the win and improve to 7-2-1 overall in 2011-12.
BSU managed one power-play goal on five power-play changes, while its penalty-kill unit snuffed out 3-of-4 DU man advantage opportunities.
Bemidji State (11-10-2; 5-8-2 WCHA) and Denver (12-8-3; 7-5-3 WCHA) are back at it tomorrow to settle the WCHA and season series. Opening face off for the series finale from Magness Arena is set for 8:07 p.m. CT.
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