Chris Wilkie wasn't going to let Denver get away with a victory in his last game at the Broadmoor World Arena.
 
Wilkie scored twice in the third period on Senior Night, including the game-tying goal with 7.3 seconds left to help the Tigers rally and tie No. 6 Denver, 2-2.
 
With his team trailing 2-0 in the back half of the final period, Wilkie scored during a 4-on-3 advantage with 5:36 remaining. After an interference call to DU's Ryan Barrow, Grant Cruikshank took a shot from the right circle that Chrona saved, but the puck went right to Wilkie at the left circle, who put home his 22^nd goal of the season to cut the Pioneer lead to one.
 
The Tigers kept the pressure on the rest of the way, getting three shots on Chrona and several others that were blocked by the Pioneers. Tiger goalie Matt Vernon went to the bench with 75 seconds remaining, and with roughly 20 seconds left, Wilkie sent a pass from behind the Denver net that bounced off a Pioneer skate and out to center ice. Alex Berardinelli gathered the puck at CC's blue line, drove down the left side and behind the net before finding Wilkie, who was wide open just above the right dot. The senior from Omaha buried a wrist shot that sent the CC faithful, and his teammates, into a frenzy. 
 
Neither team scored in the first overtime period, so the game officially ended in a tie. DU's Brett Stapley, who assisted on both of his team's goals in regulation, scored in the sudden-death shootout after Cruikshank's attempt was saved by Chrona to give the Pioneers the extra point in the NCHC standings and the Gold Pan.
 
A couple of bad breaks put CC in a two-goal hole through two periods.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Pioneers opened the scoring thanks to a generous bounce. With the teams playing 4-on-4, Chrona stoned Nick Halloran on a clean breakaway, setting up a 2-on-1 for Denver. Ian Mitchell took the puck down the right side and tried to send a cross-ice pass to Kohen Olischefski. CC's Chad Sasaki blocked the pass but the puck went past Ryan Ruck into the net.
 
Ruck, making his first start since Jan. 10, was forced to leave the game with 38 seconds remaining in the second period after suffering an apparent lower-body injury. He tried to stay in the game but couldn't continue after skating for a couple of minutes. Nine seconds after Vernon replaced Ruck, Stapley's shot was saved by Vernon, but the puck slid behind him and Tyler Ward poked it in for a 2-0 Pioneer advantage.
 
What Head Coach Mike Haviland Said
"The whole team wanted it. We never stopped fighting and battled back. We pulled the goalie in OT to try to keep the (Gold) Pan. We found a way to come back, battled and battled and just fell short."
 
"We have playoffs coming up. This isn't over. The Gold Pan means an awful lot. I cannot ask any more of them than what they did tonight. They poured their hearts out on the ice and that is all you can ask for as a coach."
 
Colorado College Notes
Chris Wilkie is tied for second in the country with 23 goals
Wilkie's 23 goals are the most in a season by a Tiger since Rylan Schwartz had 23 in 2011-12
Wilkie and Grant Cruikshank led all players with eight shots
Ryan Ruck had 20 saves in his first start since Jan. 10
Matt Vernon had 15 saves, including 11 in the third period
With an assist on Wilkie's second goal, Nick Halloran now has 96 career points.
The Tigers outshot DU, 38-37
CC was 1-3 on the power play, Denver was 0-4
 
Up Next
CC and Denver battle at Magness Arena on Saturday, March 7, beginning at 8 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.