Unable to shake a season-long habit, Colorado College let another near-victory slip away on Friday.

So, even though CC clinched possession of the Gold Pan for the third consecutive season, the mood after its showdown with arch-rival University of Denver at the World Arena was far from celebratory.

Freshman winger Joe Colborne scored his second goal of the game with 56.3 seconds left in regulation, lifting league-leading Denver to a 3-3 tie that kept them a comfortable four points ahead of the Tigers in the WCHA standings.

It may have been a big point for both teams, but it probably was bigger for DU, which overcame a 3-1 deficit on the road to inch ahead of idle Wisconsin and into first place all alone. For Colorado College, it prolonged a streak that now has produced just one victory on opening night of the last 14 weekends of competition. 

The Tigers seemed to have control of this one after Bill Sweatt's deflection of Brian Connelly's power-play blast from the point staked them to their two-goal lead at 10:57 of the second frame. The red lighter came just 98 seconds after Cody Lampl knocked in a rebound of Ryan Lowery's shot off the goal post to snap a 1-1 deadlock, and at that point the momentum was all in CC's favor.

But Colborne converted on a Denver power play at 15:17 of the middle period, cutting the deficit in half and setting the stage for his late heroics.

The fourth-place Tigers, 14-9-8 overall and 10-8-5 in WCHA play, drew first blood on a power-play tally by Stephen Schultz in the opening period. Connelly also set up that goal.

Sophomore net minder Richard Bachman made 41 saves for CC, including five in overtime, as the Pioneers finished with a 44-28 advantage in shots. Dustin Jackson struck for Denver's first goal, at 4:32 of the second period.