All signs pointed toward a Minnesota Duluth defeat late in the third period.
Denver led by two goals, senior goaltender Sam Brittain was playing at his best and the Bulldogs were a miserable 0-33-3 since last overcoming a two-period deficit.
Compounding the problems was that UMD failed to record a shot on goal for more than 12 minutes to begin the third period.
But the Bulldogs overcame all the odds as Caleb Herbert and Tony Cameranesi scored in the final 4:01 of regulation to send the game into overtime.
Despite momentum being on their side, the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize. Sophomore center Quentin Shore's goal with 45.4 seconds left in overtime gave the Pioneers a 3-2 National Collegiate Hockey Conference victory before an announced crowd of 6,204 at Amsoil Arena.
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Junior winger Zac Larraza pounced on UMD freshman Carson Soucy's poor backhanded pass in his own zone to score the only goal of the first two periods. Larraza, skating in the high slot, jumped on an inexplicably weak pass by Soucy and snapped it between Crandall's legs 13:15 into the second period.
Brittain, meanwhile, kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard most of the game with 23 saves, ending UMD's season-long three-game win streak and moving the 16th-ranked Pioneers up the NCHC ladder. Denver (12-7-4 overall, 6-4-1-1 NCHC) has 20 points in the league.
UMD dropped to .500 overall at 9-9-1 and 5-6 in the conference.
