No. 5 Denver pushed back to capture a compelling 2-1 victory at No. 14 North Dakota on Saturday night.

Jarid Lukosevicius deflected Slava Demin‘s shot past North Dakota goalie Adam Scheel with 21 seconds left in overtime to give the Pioneers a split of the NCHC series at Grand Forks, N.D.

“This is a team we need to play, they’re a straight-line team, they come to your net hard,” DU coach David Carle told 104.3 FM after the game. “They take a lot of pride in how hard they work. It was good to see our guys respond with a grittier effort in and around our net tonight.

“This is the team we needed to play going into break for us to learn and grow, but also for to build some confidence going into the second half so we can come back with our foot on the gas.”

The senior’s heroics, which gave him a team-high ninth goal, came after goaltender Filip Larsson stopped chance after Fighting Hawks chance from the second period on. The freshman, who was making his second NCAA start after missing almost the first two months of the season because of a lower-body injury, made 32 saves in his first NCHC and road start.

Fast start

Denver (8-4-2, 4-4 NCHC) wasted little time taking the lead 1:10 into the game on Jaakko Heikkinen‘s one-timer from the lower left circle off passes from Colin Staub and Ryan Barrow.

“We tried to get to their net front a lot more than we did last night,” Carle said. “I thought they controlled most of the play in the second. In the third I thought our guys responded and got back to work as a group.”

That’s how it stood for the next 56:15, but North Dakota (9-7-1, 3-5) had its chances, firing 25 of its 33 shots in the second and third periods.

The host’s labor finally payed off when freshman defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker beat Larsson with a bar-down shot with 2:35 remaining in regulation.

“Any time you go through experiences you’re more apt and prepared to go through it the next time,” Carle said. “Colin Staub grabbed the bench there after that goal and before the overtime and talked the guys down. (He said) ‘If we get back to work we’re going to be fine and win the hockey game. His leadership and calming presence there after they tied it up was incredible.

“It helped our group to regroup and then put our foot on the gas and win the game.”

Denver regrouped and Larsson kept the Pioneers, who were outshot 33-21, in it with a couple of fantastic saves early in overtime before Lukosevicius initiated the winning play. His original shot went wide but Demin retrieved it and fired away from the point.

The victory gave the Pioneers a 3-4-1 record in what most consider its toughest stretch of the season (No. 2 St. Cloud State, No. 1 Minnesota Duluth, No. 9 Providence and North Dakota), and optimism for a strong start to the second half.

Jack is back

Sophomore forward Jack Doremus became the final Pioneer to get into a game this season, and for a guy who didn’t play his first shift until the second period, he ultimately made an impact on the game.

“He brought great energy,” Carle said. “I really credit Jack. His attitude in practice was great. It’s not easy to sit out.

“He earned the opportunity through how he’s practiced the past few weeks, and it was great to see him get rewarded. We really liked his legs and his energy, and I think you saw that tonight. He was getting pucks in deep and getting in on the forecheck in the third and overtime.”

Notes

The Fighting Hawks were without defenseman Matt Kierstad, who was suspended for Saturday’s game after he took a spearing major and received a game misconduct at the end of Friday’s game, when he harpooned Pioneers forward Jake Durflinger. … Both teams had perfect penalty kills on the weekend.

Denver’s three stars

1. Filip Larsson. The freshman made 32 saves and had to contend with North Dakota’s aggression around his net all game.
2. Jarid Lukosevicius. He started and finished the winning play in a game that could have far-reaching positive effects for DU’s season.
3. Colin Staub. The captain set up the first goal and set up the Pioneers for success with his calming leadership.

Up next

The Pioneers head to Hockey East country to play non-conference games at Merrimack on Dec. 28 and UMass-Lowell on Dec. 29.

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