The streak is going to end eventually. The Denver Pioneers aren’t going to just never lose to Omaha for the rest of time. That’s not how hockey works. That’s not how sports work. But, for now, the streak is still alive thanks to Bobby Brink’s game-tying goal with 13.8 seconds left in regulations. Neither the #4 Pioneers (15-4-5, 5-3-4-3) nor Mavericks (9-10-4, 3-6-3-0) scored in regulation overtime (what a great oxymoron) and the game ended in a 2-2 tie at Baxter Arena in Omaha. Michael Davies did score in three-on-three overtime to give the Pioneers the second point and ensure that the Pioneers came home with four of the six possible points. With the official tie, Denver now has not lost to Omaha since January 2014.
The Pioneers, though, nearly fell victim to their own sloppy play in the first period and more stellar play by Maverick goaltender Isaiah Saville. In the waning minutes of the opening frame, Denver conceded two goals in quick succession on a Maverick shot that deflected off the end boards behind the net and Taylor Ward had an open net to shoot at on the power play before a bad Ian Mitchell turnover in front of DU goaltender Devin Cooley led to a goal from Tristan Keck. It was a brutal sequence to end what was otherwise a great opening period of hockey for the Pioneers and they would have to once again come from behind.
If there was a bright side, the Pioneers didn’t let the two goals derail their gameplan. They dominated the next two periods of play outshooting the Mavericks 29-9 over the final 40 minutes of regulation. That effort led to an early second-period power-play goal from Cole Guttman on a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal to pull DU back to within 1. Denver pressed harder from there and suffocated Omaha. If not for Saville’s elite presence and play in the Mav crease, it’s certainly possible if not probable that the Pioneers would have turned the 2-0 deficit into a 6-2 rout. Instead, it took a Bobby Brink goal with 13.8 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime and give them the tie.
We will have a more in-depth look at this and last night’s games in our weekend recap tomorrow morning. In the meantime, comment below with your thoughts on the game and on the weekend!
While the Pios did not get a win this weekend, they did get 4 of 6 league points on the road over the series this weekend, and did not suffer in the PWR. Take it and move on…
DU was dominant in the final two periods and were very deserving of a win that they did not get and Omaha should consider themselves lucky to get that tie point tonight, even though the Mavs nearly stole the game on the back of Saville. Thank God Bobby Brink was cold-blooded with 13 seconds left.
Pios are going to be a tough out for anyone…
Mavs let us skate around their defensive end giving us 75% possession time. Looked like we were on a power play. However they knew where most of our shots were coming from. Saville was big time. 4 points is acceptable.
Slight sympathy to Omaha, almost breaking the 18 (?) game winless streak, to have Brink bag one with 13 ticks left. Though Denver did kinda deserve the win/tie. Omaha is pretty good. But either Denver is far superior skilled to Omaha, or Omaha had a strategy to let Denver skate around them all night, as long as they kept DU on the perimeter. Mystefying (aside from great goaltending) how Denver could possess the puck so much, and score just 2 non-OT goals over the weekend. Anyway, credit to DU for fighting to the end, and kudos to Brink and Davies for their clutch goals. Also props to Brink for keeping the puck in the zone in the last 30 seconds, otherwise game over.
Also, those Omaha announcers are excellent. The play-by-play guy is especially good, and both keep the homerism in check. Very impressed with their calls this weekend.
If the standings don’t change Pios would host Omaha in playoffs. And Saville certainly is a worthy opponent in goal.
Standings will change Ms.Viz, probably. With a tilted ice at home, we really should destroy Omaha.
Why not tell some of your friends on USCHO forum to come here. That site is a pain to log in-to
As usual, another dominate performance, with yet another disappointing outcome.
Looking back on this season thus far I’m left with a lingering question….
Why, with so many shots on goal game after game, are so few finding the back of the net?
(I find it hard to believe, as we often hear, that every opponent’s goalie suddenly has the game(s) of his life when he plays DU.)
Wonder if it could be that we don’t have a player quite like Lukosevicius, who is comfortable driving relentlessly to the net, and doesn’t mind taking some abuse to put himself in position for tip ins and rebounds. We’ve got a lot of skill, and I love the effort and motor on the team. But we do lack an element of grittiness.
Excellent observation.
Good points all. Dunker does not see a Luko on the roster, however we do have good and great college players everywhere. Tips-ins and redirects are skills and players practice that.