St. Cloud, Minn. - The St. Cloud State University men's hockey team (11-11-1, 6-8-1 NCHC) charted a huge 3-2 overtime victory over #1/2 University of Denver (15-6-4, 7-3-3 NCHC) on Friday, Jan. 20 at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minn.
The spotlight was focused on freshman forward Ryan Poehling, who gained the game winning goal in the OT session at 2:27 with assists from Mikey Eyssimont and Patrick Newell. Poehling converted on a tip-in of a shot by Eyssimont to gain his fifth goal of the season for the Huskies.
ICYMI - @SCSUHUSKIES_MH R. Poehling with the GWG vs. @DU_Hockey on Jan. 20. Back at the HBNHC for game 2 tonight at 7 pm (Jan. 21). pic.twitter.com/Rc3mSJEEHZ
— SCSU Men's Hockey (@SCSUHUSKIES_MH) January 21, 2017
The goal capped a quality performance for the Huskies against the nation's top ranked team, which started with a power play goal by SCSU's Robby Jackson at :51 of the first period with assists from Jack Ahcan and Eyssimont. The goal was Jackson's seventh of the season and it was Ahcan's 12th assist of the year. Eyssimont ended his evening with two assists and continues to pace SCSU with 22 points (10g/12a).
Denver battled back to tie the game at 2:54 of the first period with a goal by Henrik Borgstrom. The Pioneers took a 2-1 lead in the second period with a goal by Liam Finlay at 2:48.
To finish the second period, SCSU's Jack Poehling tied the game on a goal at 19:33 with helpers from Blake Winiecki and Will Borgen. The goal was Jack Poehling's fourth of the year and it was Winiecki's 10th assist of the year.
OT WIN! @SCSUHUSKIES_MH score 3-2 OT win over #1 @DU_Hockey on Jan. 20 at the HBNHC. R. Poehling with the GWG. #NCAAHockey @TheNCHC pic.twitter.com/GMogNpp06R
— SCSU Men's Hockey (@SCSUHUSKIES_MH) January 21, 2017
The two squads battled through a scoreless third period, which saw the Huskies outshoot the Pioneers 12-7. In the OT session, DU managed one shot on target before Ryan Poehling lit the lamp to end the contest.
On the evening, SCSU outshot the Pioneers 43-26. The Huskies' shot total in the game was their second best effort of the 2016-17 season, only surpassed by SCSU's 53 shot effort in a win against Alabama Huntsville on Oct. 28, 2016 at the HBNHC. On the power play, SCSU was 1-3 and the Huskies were 3-3 on the penalty kill.
Ryan Poehling: "I thought initially it was gonna be a back and forth battle but then it settled down and became a showdown."
— SCSU Men's Hockey (@SCSUHUSKIES_MH) January 21, 2017
In the nets, Jeff Smith made 24 saves in the complete game victory. He now owns a 5-5-0 record this season with a 2.87 goals against average. Evan Cowley was the goalie of record for DU with 12 saves and one goal allowed in 22:27 minutes of relief work. Tanner Jailet started the game and made 28 saves with two goals allowed in 39:56 minutes of play.
