A double overtime victory over the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs yesterday earned the Denver Pioneers a trip to the WCHA Final Five championship game today against North Dakota in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Denver, playing their fifth game in eight days on Friday, surrendered a 3-0 second period lead by allowing the Bulldogs to score three unanswered goals, with the tying goal coming from Jack Connolly with eight minutes left in regulation.
After one full 20 minute overtime period finished and just under 12 minutes left in the second OT, Zac Larraza scored his first collegiate goal to send the Pio's to their third straight overtime victory and a spot in the championship game.
The puck drops at 6:07 for tonight's Final Five finale as DU takes on North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux, who were at one point this season stuck at 11th place in the WCHA standings and an afterthought in the national landscape, completed a comeback of their own as they were able to erase a 3-0 deficit against Minnesota to earn a 6-3 win and their own berth in the finale.
The Pioneers split a two-game series in Denver earlier this season, losing the first 4-3 and taking the second 5-3. The game will be televised on Root Sports.
Head over to Western College Hockey Blog for more WCHA news and notes.