Pioneers can't solve Miami's Ryan Larkin in 1-1 tie

Troy Terry, 2015 5th rd pick of the Ducks, with some sweet handles on a goal for @DU_Hockey pic.twitter.com/ETcuQGXV3b

— Brett Markowitz (@brett_0) November 19, 2016

Nice toe drag by Sharks 2016 2nd rd pick Dylan Gambrell for @DU_Hockey and the wide open net is missed: pic.twitter.com/toMh45wHUP

— Brett Markowitz (@brett_0) November 19, 2016

The new no. 1 ranking definitely had an effect on the fans as Magness Arena was packed and ready to go for DU’s matchup with the Miami RedHawks on Friday night.

It only took two minutes for Miami’s Grant Hutton to get the scoring going. Troy Terry turned the puck over to Anthony Louis on the blueline, Louis fed Hutton who was able to rip a slapshot to the top corner. After that, it was all DU but they just couldn’t find the back of the net. They ended up outshooting the RedHawks 15-3 in the first period.

It was the RedHawks who got off to a fast start in the first few minutes of the 2nd period, but in hockey momentum can switch in an instant. With 4 minutes into the period, Terry stole the puck from a Miami defenseman and made a beautiful deke on the goaltender to tie the game up at 1-1. After that, both teams were alternating scoring chances and the Pioneers had to kill off a couple of penalties but no one was able to get the much-needed second goal.

Nothing was getting past the goaltenders during the third period. The Pioneers kept throwing everything they had at Miami’s goaltender Ryan Larkin but Larkin kept putting them aside. During regulation, the Pios had a total of 37 shots and 36 of them were saved by Larkin. The game seemed destined for overtime and that’s exactly where it went with regulation ending at 1-1.

Overtime was more of the same. The Pioneers continued to generate good scoring opportunities but could never capitalize. The 5-on-5 overtime ended in no score and then the 3-on-3 overtime ended in no score and they were off to a shootout. In the shootout, Henrik Borgstrom got the first shot and scored. Miami would miss their opportunity and that was the end of the hockey game. The Pios get two points in the NCHC standings but officially the game ended in a tie. Not much a team can do about running into a hot goaltender but the Pioneers will have to forget about it move on to the second game of the series Saturday night against the Redhawks.

THREE STARS:

First star: Ryan Larkin
Second star: Troy Terry
Third star: Tanner Jaillet

BY THE NUMBERS:

Denver-Miami
Shots: 39-21

PPG/PPO: 0/1-0/2 

Faceoffs: 36-24

QUOTE OF THE GAME:

“We played a good game. We made good decisions with the puck, that allowed us to have a lot of puck possession time and create a lot of chances offensively. We just have to do a better job of getting to the blue paint and scoring more goals.” -Coach Jim Montgomery