DENVER — St. Cloud State had a great first period and ... not much after that.
Denver scored eight goals in the last two periods to beat the Huskies 8-5 in an NCHC game on Friday night at Magness Arena. With the win, the NCHC-leading Pioneers (12-3-0 NCHC, 19-5-1 overall) improved to 12-0-1 at home this season.
The Huskies (6-6-1, 14-8-1) led 3-0 after the first period on goals by Zach Okabe, Jami Krannila and Kevin Fitzgerald.
But St. Cloud State senior center Nolan Walker was given a five-minute major for boarding 51 seconds into the second period. The Pioneers got two goals by sophomore Carter Savoie on the ensuing power play to cut the Huskies' lead to 3-2.
The game was tied 4-4 going into the third period, but SCSU freshman defenseman Josh Luedtke took a tripping penalty 51 seconds into the third period. Cameron Wright scored a power-play goal at 2:28 to give the Pioneers their first lead.
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Denver added a goal by Cole Guttman at 7:28 of the third period to take a 6-4 lead.
The Pioneers outshot the Huskies 35-9 in the last two periods and 50-24 in the game.
Krannila had two goals and an assist, Okabe had a goal and two assists, Micah Miller had three assists and Fitzgerald had two goals for the Huskies.
Denver 8, SCSU 5
SCSU 3-1-1—5
Denver 0-4-4—8
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First period scoring — 1. SCSU, Zach Okabe 9 (Brady Ziemer 1, Jami Krannila 9) 3:38; 2. SCSU, Krannila 11 (Micah Miller 5, Easton Brodzinski 10) 5:28; 3. SCSU, Kevin Fitzgerald 12 (Okabe 11, Spencer Meier 10) 18:05 (pp). Penalties — D, Connor Caponi (charging) 7:17; D, Brett Stapley (interference) 11:50; SCSU, Brendan Bushy (roughing) 11:50; SCSU, Luke Jaycox (roughing, double minor) 14:17; D, Cameron Wright (roughing) 14:17; D, Justin Lee (tripping) 17:15.
Second period scoring — 4. D, Carter Savoie 14 (Sean Behrens 19, Bobby Brink 28) 1:24 (pp); 5. D, Savoie 15 (Carter Mazur 14, Behrens 20) 3:39 (pp); 6. SCSU, Fitzgerald 13 (Miller 6) 14:52; 7. D, Brett Stapley 11 (unassisted) 15:30; 8. D, Savoie 16 (Cole Guttman 17, Brink 29) 19:23. Penalties — SCSU, Nolan Walker (boarding, major) :21; D, Savoie (interference) 14:16; Jack Peart (slashing) 14:30; SCSU, Easton Brodzinski (misconduct) 14:30.
Third period scoring — 9. D, Cameron Wright 17 (Mike Benning 12, Shai Buium 9) 2:28 (pp); 10. D, Guttman 12 (Mazur 15, Brink 30) 7:28; 11. D, Brink (Stapley 21) 17:38; 12. SCSU, Krannila 12 (Okabe 12, Miller 6) 18:52 (ea); 13. D, Stapley 12 (Brink 31, Buium 10) 19:07 (en). Penalties — SCSU, Josh Luedtke (tripping) :51; D, Jack Devine (elbowing) 2:56.
Goalie saves — SCSU, David Hrenak 15-15-12—42 (7 GA); D, Magnus Chrona 12-2-5—19 (5 GA).
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Power-play goals-opportunities — SCSU 1-4, D 3-6.
Penalties-minutes — SCSU 7-25; D 4-8.
Faceoffs — D 30-26.
Referees — Nick Krebsbach, Joe Sullivan.
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Linesemen — John Grandt, Chase McGee.
Attendance — 4,661
