Box Score | Highlights from NCHC.tv

The Denver Pioneers used a three-goal second period and held on despite a furious Colorado College rally in the final period to post a 5-3 victory over the Tigers Friday night at Magness Arena.
 
Danton Heinen scored six minutes into the second period for a 2-1 Pioneer lead, while Will Butcher and Trevor Moore scored in the last 2:04 of the frame to give the home team a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes.  
 
The Tigers did not quit, however, as junior Luc Gerdes started the comeback with his second goal of the game and the season at the 3:36 mark of the third period with a shot from the high slot after DU goalie Evan Cowley saved a shot from fellow junior Matt Hansen. Senior Hunter Fejes also assisted on the play.
 
Freshman Trey Bradley then scored his team-high fourth goal of the season to make it 4-3 at the 7:56 mark, just three seconds after DU killed a penalty. Sophomore Teemu Kivihalme and freshman Jake Emilio (first career point) assisted on the play as Bradley flipped a shot over Cowley from the right circle.
 
The Tigers kept buzzing Cowley throughout the rest of the period and had a power play with four minutes remaining, but couldn't get the tying goal. Gerdes had a great chance at a hat trick but his shot clanged off the post with two minutes left, then DU's Matt Marcinew scored an empty-netter with four seconds left.
 
"I am proud of the way we battled tonight," head coach Mike Haviland said. "Unfortunately, the last three minutes of the second period killed us. Instead of it being 2-1 it was 4-1."
 
Each team scored a goal in the first period. DU's Evan Janssen opened the scoring at the 6:25 mark by placing a rebound top shelf over a sprawling Tyler Marble, who made an initial save on Gabe Levin while laying on his stomach.
 
Gerdes evened things up less than two minutes later by firing a slap shot from the top of the right circle that eluded Cowley and snuck just inside the far post. Freshman Cole McCaskill assisted on Gerdes' first goal of the season.
 
"Luc was outstanding for us tonight," Haviland said. "I loved the way he battled and he was rewarded."
 
Heinen put DU (4-3, 1-0 NCHC) ahead 2-1 at the 6:04 mark of the second with a nifty shot from below the left circle that snuck between Marble and the near post.
 
The Tigers (0-9, 0-3 NCHC) stayed alive by killing off a five-minute checking from behind call on Alex Roos and had a golden opportunity with 4:30 left in the second period, but Hansen's backhand with an open net slid right through the crease.
 
After DU's Tariq Hammond was called for elbowing with less than three minutes remaining in the middle frame, Butcher capitalized on a 2-on-1 advantage with a shorthanded goal with 2:04 left in the period for a 3-1 lead. Moore then made it 4-1 with 18 seconds remaining in the second with a nice individual effort. He grabbed the puck in his own end, moved down the right boards past a CC defender and placed a shot over the left shoulder of Marble.
 
Neither team converted on the power play Friday as CC was 0-for-5 and DU 0-for-3. The Tigers mustered just three shots on goal during its five man advantage opportunities, but once again was solid on the penalty kill.
"Our PK was outstanding tonight," Haviland said. "We did a great job of blocking shots. We just need to stay out of the box and find out a way to win the close ones."
 
Marble made 33 saves for the Tigers, while Cowley had 20 for DU.
 
The same two teams play the 300^th game in the series Saturday night at The Broadmoor World Arena beginning at 7 p.m.