If Minnesota Duluth has learned anything in three games against Denver this season, it's this:
Outshooting a team doesn't guarantee a win and taking penalties isn't a good idea.
Entering Saturday's Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's game at the DECC, Denver had beaten UMD in all three meetings despite being outshot in all three.
UMD finally reversed that trend outshooting Denver on the way to a 4-2 victory before a sellout crowd of 5,323.
The No. 14-ranked Bulldogs (15-9-6 overall, 9-8-5 WCHA) got a quick first-period three-goal lead, including a power-play score, and shut down Denver on the man advantage. The first-place Pioneers (17-9-3, 13-7-2) earned their last three victories in the series by converting eight of 20 power plays (40 percent efficiency), with their last seven goals against UMD coming with a man-advantage, including four in Friday's 4-3 win.
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The game matched the WCHA's top-ranked goalies for all games -- UMD junior Alex Stalock and Denver sophomore Marc Cheverie. UMD led in total shots on goal 39-24.
The Bulldogs got to Cheverie early on the way to a 3-0 lead in the first period and 3-1 through 20 minutes. Senior center MacGregor Sharp connected one second after a UMD power play 8:25 into the game, from the right circle.
Goals 86 seconds apart gave UMD a cushion. Defenseman Evan Oberg smacked a shot from the high slot with 7:32 left for a power-play goal and center Drew Akins handcuffed Cheverie from the left side with 6:06 to go.
No. 8-ranked Denver was being outshot 10-1 halfway through the first period but came on and scored with 2:34 remaining on a Kyle Ostrow goal. UMD led in shots on goal through 20 minutes.
The only goal of the second period came with 40 seconds left as center Michael Gergen cracked a shot from about 70 feet, just inside the offensive blue line on the left side, beating Cheverie to the far side. That brought the biggest roar of the night from the crowd.
UMD led in shots on goal 25-15 through two periods. Denver cut into the lead with, a power-play goal, 4:55 into the third period from winger Rhett Rakhshani, tying him for the team goal-scoring lead at 13. That made it 4-2.
The Bulldogs, 6-2 the last eight games, are 10-2-3 at home with two games left in the regular season at the DECC.
Denver came into Saturday's game 8-3 against UMD the last 11 games in the series, including five straight wins.
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UMD is off this weekend before resuming at Michigan Tech on Feb. 20-21.
Denver continues on a five-game road trip with a single game Friday at Colorado College.
Denver.......................1-0-1--2
Minnesota Duluth..........3-1-0--4
First period -- 1. UMD, MacGregor Sharp 12 (Josh Meyers, Mike Connolly), 8:25; 2. UMD, Evan Oberg 6 (Justin Fontaine, Meyers), 12:28 (pp); 3. UMD, Drew Akins 5 (Trent Palm, Matt Greer), 13:54; 4. Denver, Kyle Ostrow 9 (Dustin Jackson, Brian Gifford), 17:26. Penalties -- Sharp, UMD (high-sticking), 4:32; Anthony Maiani, Denver (roughing), 4:32; Gifford, Denver (holding), 6:24; Jay Cascalenda, UMD (holding), 8:55; Cody Brookwell, Denver (holding), 12:18.
Second period -- 5. UMD, Michael Gergen 7 (Meyers, Montgomery), 19:20. Penalties -- Mike Montgomery, UMD (cross-checking), :29; Joe Colborne, Denver (hooking), :44; Palm, UMD (hooking), 2:42; M. Connolly, UMD (unsportsmanlike conduct), 5:13; Jackson, Denver (unsportsmanlike conduct), 5:13; Jesse Martin, Denver (hooking), 6:51; Jack Connolly, UMD (high-sticking), 7:40; Martin, Denver (interference), 13:53; Oberg, UMD (roughing), 18:28; M. Connolly, UMD (roughing), 18:28; John Lee, Denver (roughing), 18:28; Rhett Rakhshani, Denver (roughing), 18:28.
Third period -- 6. Denver, Rakhshani 13 (Tyler Ruegsegger), 4:55 (pp). Penalties -- J. Connolly, UMD (too many men on ice), 3:38; Jackson, Denver (cross-checking), 5:16; Colborne, Denver (hooking), 6:40; Gergen, UMD (holding), 11:03; Montgomery, UMD (holding), 13:43; Lee, Denver (cross-checking), 15:37; Patrick Mullen, Denver (5-minute slashing major, game disqualification), 20:00.
Shots on goal -- Denver 9-6-9--24; UMD 13-12-14--39. Goalies - Marc Cheverie (17-9-3), Denver (39 shots-35 saves); Alex Stalock (14-9-6), UMD (24 shots-26 saves). Power plays -- Denver 1-of-7, UMD 1-of-8. Referees -- Brad Shepherd, C.J. Beaurline. Linesmen -- Jared Moen, Matt Ulwelling. A -- 5,323.
