No. 1 Denver retained an unbeaten streak to begin the 2019-20 season, but not its winning streak with a 3-3 NCHC tie at No. 7 Minnesota Duluth on Friday night.

Brett Stapley‘s shootout goal gave the Pioneers (8-0-1, 0-0-1-1 NCHA) the extra conference point. Senior Liam Finlay scored two goals and freshman Magnus Chrona made 25 saves.

The Bulldogs (3-3-1, 0-0-1-0 NCHC) scored twice in the final 8:35 of the third period to tie it up.

Noah Cates struck with 31 seconds remaining in regulation and goalie Hunter Shepard (29 saves) off for an extra attacker. Kobe Roth had pulled the Bulldogs to 3-2 with a power-play goal, only the second one DU has allowed this season.

Fast start

The Pioneers struck first just 3:58 into the game and only 1:27 after penalties to Jaakko Heikkinen and Kohen Olischefski ended. Finlay scored off a feed from Tyson McLellan on a rush.

The teams later traded tallies midway through the first period. Freshman Brett Edwards scored his first collegiate goal on a rebound of Tyler Ward‘s shot from near the outside of the right circle. Stapley initiated the play by carrying the puck through the neutral zone and dishing to Ward.

The Bulldogs pulled to 2-1 when Cole Koepke tracked down a loose puck high in the DU zone, and skated right to left across the left circle and beat Chrona with a cross-body snap shot.

Finlay extended the lead to 3-1 with 4:15 to play in the second period off a feed from Hank Crone.

©First Line Editorial 2019