Hockey, Men's Sports

Pioneers Survive Bulldogs’ Third-Period Rally to Earn Huge NPI Victory

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Everything was going swimmingly for the #11 Denver Pioneers (15-11-2, 11-6-0 NCHC)…until it wasn’t. Sam Harris scored in the closing moments of the first period before three different Pioneers scored in the second period to take a 4-0 lead over the #7 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (17-10-0, 8-9-0 NCHC) into the third period. But a Tory Pitner major penalty for cross-checking with six seconds left in the second period opened the door for the Bulldogs to begin their comeback. Three UMD goals later, one allowed by starter Johnny Hicks and two by backup Paxton Geisel, who came in after Hicks went down with a leg injury, the Pioneers were holding on for dear life over the final six minutes. Fortunately for DU, the Bulldogs and their #1-ranked power play unit were unable to find their fourth goal, and the Pioneers escaped with a 4-3 victory for their first Friday victory of 2026.

David Carle could not have scripted a better opening 40 minutes for the Pioneers. It took more than 19 minutes for the Pioneers to find the back of the net behind Bulldogs goalie Adam Gajan, but once Harris’ last-minute first-period marker found twine, the floodgates opened. Reid Varkonyi got the second period party started with a tip-in goal off of a shot by Eric Jamieson before Kyle Chyzowski and Cale Ashcroft each finished off some pretty passing plays with goals of their own to round out DU’s scoring. The Pioneers were dominating the game, and Hicks was coming up with big saves when he needed to. And just when it seemed like the Pioneers had left rock bottom in the rearview mirror, Pitner finished his cross-check at center ice in the closing seconds of the second period.

After a lengthy review, Pitner was issued a major penalty (no game misconduct) for his wildly unnecessary cross-check, and handed the Bulldogs’ top-ranked power play a golden opportunity to get back into the game early in the third. Despite a valiant effort by DU’s penalty killers that saw countless blocked shots and some huge saves by Hicks, the Pioneers couldn’t keep the Bulldogs off the scoresheet as Kyle Gaffney finally found the back of the net to erase the goose egg and give the Bulldogs a glimmer of hope.

Still, the Pioneers held a 4-1 lead with under 15 minutes to play. The game was safely in hand…right?

With under 10 minutes to play, during another UMD power play – DU refused to stay out of the box during the third period – Hicks pushed off his post and immediately went down in immense pain, grabbing the back of his leg. The Pioneers were already down to just two rostered goalies with Quentin Miller out on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury, so Hicks’ injury forced Paxton Geisel, the only remaining goalie on the roster, into the most tense part of the game with no warmup. The Bulldogs quickly struck twice on him, including once on the same power play.

While Hicks apparently never left the hallway between the benches to receive treatment, he did not return to the game, and Geisel made the final saves necessary to preserve the 4-3 victory, which pushed the Pioneers up to #11 in the NPI from #13 after last weekend.

Even with the victory, all attention turns back to DU’s crease with game two looming tomorrow night. The Bulldogs built some key momentum in the waning minutes of their loss, and with massive uncertainty surrounding DU’s goaltending situation – the Pioneers are potentially without their top two goalies at least for tomorrow night – the Pioneers are facing even more adversity in a season that has been chock full of it.

Highlights

Top photo courtesy of DU Athletics

3 thoughts on “Pioneers Survive Bulldogs’ Third-Period Rally to Earn Huge NPI Victory”

  1. Literally the whole season was on the line last night. Pios playing so close to the NPI cutoff line that their presence in Loveland is in jeopardy….which would be a huge squandered opportunity. Good win.

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  2. Best we’ve looked in a long time, until hicks went out with a few minutes left

    He looked like he was in severe pain , let’s hope he’s ok, most importantly for the young man , but our season could also be toast depending on our keepers’ health

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  3. I’m surprised that Hicks would not go to the training room almost immediately. We’ll have to wait until tonight before we find out who is starting.

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