Last Updated 11:48 PM, January 20, 2023

No. 4 St. Cloud State wins big over No. 3 Denver men's hockey in Game 1

Denver wins the 2022 men's hockey championship thanks to unbelievable 3rd period
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4:45 am, January 21, 2023

No. 4 St. Cloud State rides big second period to 7-3 win over No. 3 Denver šŸ”„

No. 4 St. Cloud State men's hockey rode a four-goal second period to a 7-3 win over No. 3 Denver at home in Game 1 of a pivotal NCHC series on Friday.

Jami Krannila scored twice for the Huskies (17-6-0, 9-4-0 NCHC) and Grant Cruikshank and Zach Okabe each added a goal and an assist. Jack Rogers and Veeti Miettinen each scored, and Dylan Anhorn and Josh Luedtke each had two assists. Dominic Basse made 28 saves.

Carter King, Jack Devine and Brett Edwards each scored for the Pioneers (19-6-0, 10-3-0 NCHC). Magnus Chrona stopped 24 of 30 shots, and Matt Davis made two saves in relief.Ā 

Okabe opened the scoring on the power play 6:35 into the game when he redirected Spencer Meier's shot from distance.Ā 

SCOREBOARD:Ā Click or tap here for the latest scores around Division I men's hockey

King tied it up 1-1 just after the midway point of the first. Casey Dornbach cut to the slot and shoveled a backhand on goal before King put home the rebound.

Devine gave Denver the lead early in the second, redirecting Aidan Thompson's pass from a sharp angle, but Krannila drew SCSU back even 2-2 moments later when he tipped in Okabe's shot from the point.

Rogers restored the lead for the Huskies, making it 3-2 just over three minutes later on a rebound at the top of the crease. Krannila extended it to 4-2 shortly after St. Cloud State killed off a lengthy 5-on-3, putting a one-timer over Chrona's glove on a rush with Cruikshank.Ā 

Edwards pulled Denver back to 4-3 just 45 seconds after Krannila's second of the night, but Miettinen picked the top right corner on the power play with 3:37 to go in the second to add insurance for SCSU again.

TOP STORIES:Ā Five top storylines to watch in the second half of the men's college hockey season

Cruikshank tacked on another for St. Cloud to make it 6-3 with 8:04 to go in regulation with a one-timer from the slot after Anhorn drew defenders over to him to open up the passing option.

Mason Salquist scored on an empty net from the defensive zone with 46 seconds to go for the 7-3 final.Ā 

The Huskies went 3-for-5 on the power play, and the Pios went 1-for-3.

Game 2 between Denver and St. Cloud is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.Ā 

4:05 am, January 21, 2023

FINAL: Huskies take lopsided Game 1 šŸ˜¤

No. 4 St. Cloud State downs No. 3 Denver with a 7-3 victory in Game 1, outscoring the Pioneers 6-2 over the final two periods of action.

4:03 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ St. Cloud State gets an empty-netter | 3rd ā€“ 0:45

Mason Salquist gets his first of the season, sending one into the empty net from the top of the defensive zone to extend it to 7-3.Ā 

3:47 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ Huskies get more insurance | 3rd ā€“ 9:04

St. Cloud State extends it to 6-3 in the back half of the third period.

Dylan Anhorn drew defenders over to him as he drove down the wall, leaving Grant Cruikshank open in the slot, who buried the feed with a quick one-timer.

3:30 am, January 21, 2023

The third period is on šŸ‘€

The final period of regulation is underway. No. 4 St. Cloud State leads No. 3 Denver, 5-3.

3:16 am, January 21, 2023

END 2ND: Huskies lead by 2ļøāƒ£ after wild period

After a raucous middle stanza, St. Cloud State leads Denver, 5-3.

The second period saw six goals between the two sides. Shots on goal were 14-11 in favor of the Huskies for the period. They also lead 24-22 for the game as a whole.

SCSU goaltender Domenic Basse came up with a pair of big shorthanded breakaway saves on Denver in the final moments of the period.

3:03 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ SCSU adds another | 2nd ā€“ 3:37

Shortly after Denver pulled back within one, Veeti Miettinen restores St. Cloud State's two-goal lead with a power play goal to make it 5-3.Ā 

Miettinen skated in from the point and fired a wrist shot from the top of the left circle, picking the top right corner.Ā 

3:00 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ Pioneers get one back | 2nd ā€“ 6:29

Just 45 seconds after SCSU took a 4-2 lead, Denver cuts it to 4-3.

Brett Edwards gets his first of the year with a slap shot from the bottom of the left circle on a big rebound from Mike Benning's dump-in.

2:56 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ St. Cloud tacks on another | 2nd ā€“ 7:14

Just after killing off a lengthy 5-on-3 power play, the Huskies extend their lead to 4-2.

Krannila picks up his second of the night on a rush with Grant Cruikshank, putting a one-timer over Chrona's glove.

2:51 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ Huskies retake the lead | 2nd ā€“ 10:13

St. Cloud State takes a 3-2 lead shortly after tying the game.Ā 

Jack Rogers picks up his second goal of the season, putting in the rebound off Aidan Spellacy's shot.

2:43 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ SCSU draws even | 2nd ā€“ 13:27

Jami Krannila ties it up 2-2 for the Huskies moments after Denver took the lead.Ā 

Krannila posted up in front of the goal, and tipped in Okabe's shot from distance.

2:33 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ Denver takes the lead | 2nd ā€“ 17:54

Just over two minutes into the second period, Denver takes a 2-1 lead.

Jack Devine gets a stick on Aidan Thompson's shot-pass from the boards, redirecting it to the top-right corner at a sharp angle.

2:32 am, January 21, 2023

The second period is underway šŸ”˜šŸ”˜āšŖļø

We're back for the middle frame as Denver and SCSU are tied, 1-1.

Ā 

2:12 am, January 21, 2023

END 1ST: All knotted up at 1ļøāƒ£

After the first 20 minutes of play, Denver and St. Cloud are tied up at 1-1 after a power play goal each.

Shots on goal are 11-10 in favor of the Pioneers.

1:58 am, January 21, 2023

GOAL! šŸšØ Pios even it up | 1st ā€“ 9:26

Denver draws even at 1-1 with a power play goal of their own midway through the first period.

Casey Dornbach took the puck to the slot before firing a backhand on goal, and Carter King was right there to put home the rebound.

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