Denver Skates Past Badgers 5-3
November 02, 2002 | Men's Hockey
The second-ranked Denver Pioneers (7-1-0, 2-0-0 WCHA) scored three times in the third period to down the Wisconsin Badgers (4-4-0, 0-2-0 WCHA) 5-3 for the second consecutive night.
Freshman forward A.J. Degenhardt scored at 16:24 of the second period for the Badgers when he knocked a loose puck past Denver goaltender Adam Berkhoel to go ahead 3-2. It was Degenhardt's second goal of the season with assists by freshman Adam Burish and Jake Heisler.
A power play goal by Denver's Kevin Doell 6:45 into the third tied the game at three apiece and Greg Barber scored the eventual game-winner goal less than three minutes later. The Pioneers added an empty-netter with four seconds left.
Denver jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a pair of power play goals at 11:05 and 15:00 of the first period. Junior wing Rene Bourque slapped his fifth goal of the year past Berkhoel with 2:52 remaining in the period to bring Bucky within one.
Freshman forward Ryan MacMurchy scored his third goal of the season with 11:40 to go in the second to tie the game at 2-2. The power play goal was assisted by Alex Leavitt and Mark Jackson.
The Badgers scored three times on Berkhoel on only eight shots in the first two periods. All-American Wade Dubielewicz came in to play the third period, stopping all seven Wisconsin shots that he faced.
At the other end, sophomore goaltender Bernd Bruckler saved 33 Pioneer shots.
Wisconsin has next weekend off and will continue its WCHA season on Nov. 15 and 16 when the team travels to Minnesota-Duluth to take on the Bulldogs. The Badgers do not return home until Nov. 29 and 30 when they host Michigan and Michigan State in the annual College Hockey Showcase.
