Knowledgeable hockey fans knew Maine had a solid team coming into Denver (12-8-1, 8-2-0). However, few would have predicted Maine’s results – in convincing fashion no less. The Maine Black Bears were by far the superior team all weekend and they added the exclamation point Saturday night with a late third period comeback tie (and shootout ‘win’).

DU started slowly again Saturday night. Denver avoided an early major penalty when Eric Pohlkamp leveled a Black Bear in a mid-ice collision that sent Pohlkamp to the sin bin for two minutes. Denver killed the penalty but, shortly thereafter, Maine’s William Gerrior slapped a shot past goaltender Quentin Miller for a 1-0 lead. Miller followed with a pair of goal-saving plays, stoning the Black Bears on a point blank shot and an open-ice rush. Denver went on the power play with 8 minutes remaining on a Maine boarding call and delivered a beautiful tic-tack-toe tally, 1-1. The man-up goal featured Buckberger to Chyzowski to Sam Harris who blasted the puck past Maine goaltender Albin Boija. Denver received another man-advantage penalty but went scoreless as the teams went into the break even-up. Maine outshot DU 21-17 but the Pioneers owned the dot, 15-7.

The second period was uneven and penalty plagued with five infractions called. The teams played even-up the first ten minutes before penalties were called on both teams. Maine’s Charlie Russell went on a fast breakout for an unassisted goal, 2-1, Black Bears. Denver went a man-up and thirty seconds later Kieran Cebrian fed Kyle Chyzowski who beat Boija, 2-2. Maine owned the final several minutes of the period as Maine’s speed and ability to clog passing lanes frustrated DU’s offensive rushes. Once again, Miller kept DU in the game with a handful of sterling saves in the period. Maine peppered Miller with 24 shots, nine shots-on-goal, to create the better opportunities. DU would need a much better final period to have any hope of avoiding a home sweep.

Denver looked like a different team in the first ten minutes. Buckberger clanked a blast off the pipe early in the period as the game stayed knotted. A minute later, Eric Pohlkamp went high, left side from the dot and beat Boija, 3-2 DU. At the midway mark, Maine took control in the Denver defensive end, controlling and cycling the puck. Miller, DU’s top star on the night, stoned the Black Bears. Maine’s momentum was interrupted with 7 minutes remaining as the Black Bears were called for a penalty when Lukas Peterson was called for cross checking (tackling) but Denver could not capitalize. After the penalty ended, Maine continued their assault on the Denver goal. After a timeout under three minutes, the Black Bears Frank Djurasevic sent a forty- foot seeing-eye snipe through traffic and past Miller, 3-3. Maine owned the shots-on-goal 12-9 in the period and 34-28 edge in regulation.

The five-minute three-on-three was scoreless. Denver played with the possession edge but the period ended with no additional goals.

Maine won the all but meaningless shootout, making two of their three chances. Only Sam Harris scored for DU in the shootout.

Next up is a NCHC home series against defending national champion Western Michigan at home next weekend. It will require a much better performance to corral the Broncos, especially after such a stale performance.