COLORADO SPRINGS — The Gold Pan is coming back up Interstate 25 — and staying at Magness Arena. 

It goes in the record books as a tie, but it was a trophy-clinching tie for No. 8 Denver (16-11-3, 12-6-1 NCHC) as the Pioneers only needed one point from the two games this weekend against rival Colorado College (11-12-4, 5-8-4) and they were able to get it with a shootout victory that gives David Carle’s team an extra point in the NCHC standings, as well.

“It’s our biggest rivalry, so it’s nice to beat those guys consistently year in and year out,” senior forward Rieger Lorenz said. “Tonight was no different.”

Friday was certainly no different, in terms of how close the games between these two teams have been in recent years. 

All three games this season have been decided by one goal or less after the two teams played an exciting three-game series in the NCHC Tournament near the end of last season.

After DU controlled much of the first period, CC was able to get a pair of power-play goals, one in the final minute of the first period and one in the first minute of the second period to take an early 2-0 lead, but the Pios responded with a pair of goals to even up the score heading into the third period.

Lorenz scored for the third time in the last four games, punching one home in front of the net on the power play before sophomore forward and Avalanche prospect Jake Fisher used a fortunate bounce to snap one past otherwise-sharp Tigers freshman goaltender Jackson Unger.

“The first period was excellent, outside of probably that first power play where we struggled to gain entry and build momentum,” Carle told The Denver Gazette. “But, we were doing a lot of things well 5-on-5 and you run into penalty trouble. We can like or not like things that we did in that period of time and they find a way to execute two goals on the power play in and around our net. Give them credit. 

“It’s timely scoring on power plays that’s so important and we, truthfully, haven’t had a lot of it this year and to get it in that moment was big. In this game, you earn some of your breaks and bounces. We haven’t earned them throughout the year, but I thought, in that second period, with how we were playing… we earned that bounce.”

The power play struggles have been well-documented for a DU team that still ranks in the middle of the pack nationally in man-advantage scoring, but Friday’s effort was a step in the right direction — not just because of Lorenz’s goal, but also because of an impressive showing in 5-on-4 in the third period that resulted in everything but a goal given how many chances the Pios created.

That power play started with a faceoff victory and that’s really been the key to the success for Carle’s group on either end of penalties. 

“That was 100% the difference. We win the draw and then we’re in the zone for 55 seconds pounding pucks at the net, retrieving and now they get tired and now you can do a little bit more,” Carle said. “They win that first faceoff, they get a change, they get fresh bodies (on the ice). Really, you’re expending the energy to get down and then it’s hard to get clean entries in today’s game. You’re having to win a wall battle and then get it out of pressure and it’s a lot more challenging.”

But progress isn’t enough at this time of the year, even though DU is clearly making plenty of it. The margin for error in terms of getting in the NCAA Tournament is smaller this season for the Pios as they currently rank No. 11 in the country in the new NPI formula that determines who makes the 16-team field. 

DU is currently in the field right now, but could benefit from a solid run in February to avoid being victim to a few conference tournament bid stealers. 

“I want us to keep playing well and stick to our process and if we do that, I think we’re gonna be OK,” Carle said. “It was tighter, say, eight days ago and the fact that we won two last weekend and got this point tonight on the road is a big deal, but it’s gonna be tight. Our job is to get in the tournament, get to Loveland, play in front of our fans, be the team that nobody wants to play against and continue to develop our game as we go. 

“We have to find consistency and repeatability in what we do so we don’t hand deliver things. I don’t think we hand delivered a lot tonight, which is a good sign. That’s three, four games in a row that we’ve been able to do that and that’s what’s gonna give us a chance.”

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GAME RECAP

No. 8 Denver 2, Colorado College 2

What happened: The Pioneers (16-11-3, 12-6-1 NCHC) kept the Gold Pan in the Mile High City for a seventh straight season after Friday’s series opener at the home of the Tigers (11-12-4, 5-8-4) officially ended in a tie after neither team was able to score in the 3-on-3 overtime period that followed regulation. DU won the shootout 1-0 to gain an extra NCHC point. 

Star of the night: A pair of freshmen goaltenders that began the season as backups put on a show for the Ed Robson crowd. DU’s Johnny Hicks made his third straight start in place of an injured Quentin Miller, while CC’s Jackson Unger got his second straight start with usual starter Kaidan Mbereko struggling. Hicks stopped 30 shots, while Unger registered 29 saves. Hicks also stopped all three attempts in the shootout.

Quotable: “I think we’re showing ourselves over the last (few weeks) and I include the losing streak because we played some good hockey in that stretch. Those are the games we’re gonna have to find a way to win. It’s not October anymore, it’s not November, we’re not gonna blow the doors off teams and win 6-1. It’s gonna be games like tonight, it’s gonna be games like last weekend where our details without the puck have to be so excellent that we just have to give ourselves a chance and we did tonight. Not necessarily how we drew it up to get to 2-2, but to stick with it was impressive.” — DU coach David Carle on his team’s effort 

Up next: The two teams will meet on Saturday night at Magness Arena with puck drop set for 6 p.m. on NCHC.tv.