Here’s extra notes on Saturday’s game that didn’t make the newspaper because of space and time constraints.

Tiger special teams anything but this weekend

The Denver penalty kill shut down what was the nation’s No. 2 power play (30.5 percent before Friday and 29.9 coming into Saturday’s game). CC was 0-for-7 Saturday on the smaller ice sheet and 1-for-12 on the weekend.

It was the first time in 12 games that the Tigers did not record a power-play goal.

No. 5 CC rallied in dramatic fashion to force a 4-4 with No. 2 Denver Saturday night.

“They were kicking our butts on special teams,” Tigers coach Scott Owens said. “We got it to 4-3 so we knew we had a chance. That’s a very good team with excellent forwards, including (Rhett) Rakhshani. But (Mike) Testwuide put the team on his back tonight.”

Rakhshani’s shorthanded goal made it 4-2 midway through the second period and looked like it could have iced the sweep.

Rakhshani raced in for a breakaway and beat CC freshman goalie Joe Howe with a backhander to make it 4-2. His power-play goal came after he skated around two CC defenders to fire the puck into the upper right corner of the net. It was the same spot teammate Kyle Ostrow hit for the game-opening goal 1:08 into the game that Rakhshani had assisted.

But Testwuide scored his second goal of the game and his second shorthanded goal in four games with 16:46 left to make it 4-3. Again, the Tigers power play could not convert, even on a 5-on-3 chance for a full two minutes midway through the third period.

Killing that 5-on-3 drew the loudest sustained cheer of the night, for good reason.

Quick start for Tigers

Instead of the Pioneers building a 2-0 lead and using its defensive system to plug the CC passing lanes like Friday, the Tiger seniors stepped up after Denver took a 1-0 lead, and did so quickly.

Brian McMillin scored an unassisted goal off a Denver turnover 50 seconds after Kyle Ostrow’s goal and Testwuide scored five minutes later to give CC a 2-1 lead early.

Denver defenseman hurt again

The second CC goal drew thunderous boos from the crowd because junior Stephen Schultz leveled Pioneers defenseman Patrick Wiercioch with a hip check, injuring the sophomore. Wiercioch lay on the ice unnoticed by the referees for up to 20 seconds. The Tigers took advantage of the man advantage for Testwuide’s first goal. Wiercioch, picked to play later this month for the Canadian junior national team, did not return. He appeared to suffer a leg injury. He suffered a knee injury last month.

Wiercioch’s absence wore down the Pioneers’ defense and may have helped the Tigers rally late.

Checking the rule book

According to Denver sports information, a penalty shot is awarded when the net is intentionally dislodged (DU’s Matt Donovan) in the final minute.

Updating the record book

The tie puts CC’s record at Magness Arena at 12-6-4 including a four-game unbeaten streak. This season, CC is 3-0-2 on the road.

Quotable

“As disappointing as it is to not get the additional point, I thought our guys played pretty well tonight,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said “We had them right where we wanted them, and  I have to give CC credit for playing a tough game.”

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.