The Pioneer faithful expected the Gold Pan rivalry to lift the #4 Pioneers out of their mid-season doldrums after DU lost three of their four previous games. Denver traveled to Colorado Springs on Friday night and built a comfortable lead over #10 CC 2-0 in the first period after Samu Salminen scored two shorthanded goals. The shorthanded goals were exactly the elixir Denver needed, right?

Incorrect.

Even when DU’s Carter King gave DU a 3-0 lead eight minutes into the second period, few could have predicted what would happen next. The ice began to tilt in the Tigers’ favor as Gavin Lindberg and Ryan Koering scored for CC at the end of the second period to make it 3-2. The Pioneers struggled to control the strike zone and had to chase the resurgent Tigers.

Surely the Pioneers would regain their footing in the final twenty minutes? Instead, the Tigers took the lead and scored three goals in a row in the third period, for a total of five goals in a row. Fans at Ed Robeson Arena cheered as a confused DU team struggled to play connected hockey. Finally, Jack Devine scored for DU with four minutes left to stop the bleeding, 5-4. Denver finally retired the goal-scoring Matt Davis, but to no avail, final score 5-4, CC.

Denver needs a serious confidence boost and a little help on the power play (0-4). The early season swagger is gone and the defending champions need a confidence boost. A trip to Magness Arena tomorrow night could be just what the doctor ordered. If not, the gold pan could be in jeopardy and a season with even higher expectations.