From: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers
(left) Brock Trotter, left, fights for control of the puck with North Dakota's Chay Genoway
In one of many controversial calls made by referee Todd Anderson on Saturday night, the University of Denver's Tom May was given a game misconduct after getting punched by a gloveless Kyle Radke of North Dakota.
May was tossed from Magness Arena for a checking-from-behind major, but replays proved it was more like checking from the side after a Fighting Sioux player turned his back while battling for the puck against the boards.
Radke, sticking up for a teammate and prepared to fight, was only given a two-minute minor for roughing. May said he kept his gloves on and backed down because he thought Radke was going to be called for a fighting major, sending DU on the power play.
Anderson didn't see it that way, and the Fighting Sioux scored about a minute later on a 4-on-3 to take a three-goal lead in front of a sellout crowd of 6,108. And that's how it ended - 3-0 to give North Dakota a split of the series.
Anderson wasn't on his game, but he didn't prevent DU from scoring. The Pioneers (21-12-3, 13-10-3 WCHA), who won 4-3 in overtime Friday, were ineffective in front of Sioux goalie Philippe Lamoureux (28 saves) and finished 0-of-6 on the power play.
"Their goaltender played really well and they shut us down," said DU goalie Peter Mannino, who faced 20 shots.
In the end, the only people DU blamed for the loss were Lamoureux and diminutive sophomore wing Ryan Duncan, who had the first and third goals. Duncan, 5-foot-6 and 158 pounds, leads the WCHA with 27 goals and 48 points.
"It was huge for us to come back after losing in overtime (Friday). It was heartbreaking," Duncan said.
Despite the loss, DU learned that its road to the Frozen Four would predominantly go through Denver. Because of Wisconsin's two weekend losses at Michigan Tech, the Pioneers clinched home ice for the WCHA first-round playoffs March 9-11.
They remain in third place in the WCHA but cannot finish lower than fifth in the 10-team league. DU ends with this weekend's home-and-home series against Colorado College.
DU is assured of beginning the NCAA Tournament at the West Regional at the Pepsi Center, if it qualifies, and the Pioneers remain in good shape. They are eighth in the Pairwise Rankings; North Dakota (18-12-4, 12-10-4) is ninth.
The top 12 to 14 Pairwise teams will make the 16 team national field after automatic bids are awarded to the six tournament champions.
Tickets for DU's WCHA first-round, best-of-three series go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday at the DU box office. Pepsi Center West Regional tickets are available at Ticketmaster.
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