Box Score

OMAHA, Neb. – The Denver Pioneers got two goals from Jason Zucker to earn a 4-2 win over the UNO hockey team on Saturday night at the Qwest Center.  The win gave the Pioneers a split of the weekend series after the Mavericks had won, 5-2, the night before.

The loss drops UNO to 20-12-2 on the year and 16-8-2 in the WCHA, good for third place.  Denver jumps over UNO with the win.  The Pioneers are now 20-9-5 overall and 16-7-3 in league play, putting them one point ahead of UNO.

The Mavericks finish the regular season on Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5 when they visit Minnesota Duluth.

Denver took the early lead when Jason Zucker fired home his 19th goal of the year just 3:58 into the first period.

The Mavericks responded 54 seconds later when defenseman #Michael Young# walked in from the left point and fired a shot under Denver goalie Sam Brittain for this third goal of the year.

#Brent Gwidt# gave the Mavericks their first lead of the game later in the period.  He picked up a deflected pass from #Bryce Aneloski# and slipped the puck past Brittain to make it 2-1.

But Denver tied the game on a power play in the final minute.  Drew Shore fired home his team-leading 21st goal of the year through a screen to make it 2-2 at the intermission.

Zucker put Denver back in the lead just one minute into the second period when he got a step on the UNO defense and fired a backhander that beat UNO goalie John Faulkner.  The goal ended Faulkner's night as #Dean Blais pulled him in favor of Fredrik Bergman# who made 14 saves in the second period to keep the deficit to just one goal after two periods.

The Mavericks pushed back in the third period, looking for the equalizer.  But with 2:10 remaining, Chris Knowlton slipped the puck past Bergman to ice the game.
 
Faulkner took the loss with 10 saves for UNO.  He is now 19-11-2 on the season.  Bergman made 20 saves and allowed just one goal in relief.  Brittain improved to 14-6-5 on the year with 27 saves.