Box Score The Gold Pan is within reach for Colorado College.
 
After Friday's spirited 3-2 victory over the University of Denver at DU's Magness Arena, the Tigers can secure the coveted trophy for the 12th time in 21 seasons with an encore performance on their home ice Saturday.
 
Nine different players – including goal scorers Jared Hanson, Cody Bradley and Christian Heil – picked up points in the nationally televised opener of the weekend series as CC extended its undefeated streak to three games and improved to 3-2-2 over the course of the last seven.
 
"We've been starting games pretty well," said head coach Scott Owens, who saw his squad grab its first lead of the night on sophomore winger Hanson's tally at 10:06 of the first period. "We were excited to play. Coming off of last weekend, we were ready to go. We had good jump in our legs. We got everybody involved early, our entire lineup, and I thought that really helped."
 
A pair of seniors – forward Archie Skalbeck and defenseman Eamonn McDermott – set up Hanson on the slam-bang passing play that put the visitors up, 1-0.
 
Colorado College successfully killed three DU power plays before Quentin Shore pulled the Pioneers even with a quick wrist shot from a sharp angle on the left side at 4:09 of the middle frame.
 
But, late in the period after Denver took a five-minute major, freshman defenseman Jaccob Slavin set up Bradley's power-play goal that put the Tigers ahead to stay at the 18:33 mark. Freshman center Sam Rothstein also earned an assist on the tally.
 
Heil's game winner came at 7:37 of the third stanza, moments after another DU penalty expired, bumping the margin to 3-1. Senior left wing Alexander Krushelnyski did the bulk of work on the play, controlling the puck off the right boards and skating into the slot to unleash a shot that found its way to an open Heil in the crease area. The assist was the 99th point of Krushelnyski's collegiate career and the goal the first of Heil's.
 
Senior goaltender Josh Thorimbert made 26 saves in the triumph as CC out-shot the Pioneers by a 29-28 margin to improve to 5-18-6 overall and 5-9-5-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The victory pulled Colorado College to within eight points of fourth-place Denver and to within seven of Minnesota Duluth and Western Michigan, which remain tied for fifth after losing on Friday.
 
DU, 14-11-6 overall and 8-8-3-2 in league play, got a late power-play goal from senior defenseman David Makowski to cut the deficit to one with 7:05 left to play and add intensity to the closing minutes.