Tigers settle for another tie

DENVER • After making a diving save - his 40th - with 10 seconds left in regulation Friday, Colorado College goaltender Richard Bachman cocked his head back and caught his breath.

"I was getting kind of tired out there," he said. "I was probably thinking, ‘Oh, boy. Another overtime game.'"

Bachman's 44 saves - 21 of which came against Denver's power play - helped No. 1 CC tie for the third consecutive game, this time a 2-2 decision against No. 4 Denver.

"I knew it was going to be a battle out there tonight and that's what it was," said the Highlands Ranch native, who slowed Denver after the Pioneers averaged 4.8 goals in their first five games.

The Tigers, who tied twice last weekend at Clarkson, felt lucky to escape Magness Arena unbeaten at 4-0-3.

Denver, which moved to 4-1-1, will play its first road game Sunday at World Arena.

Both teams are 2-0-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

CC defenseman Brian Connelly's power-play goal put the Tigers ahead at 5:34 of the first period.

On each of Denver's three first-period power plays, Bachman looked like he had the Pioneers' playbook, stymieing center Tyler Bozak's backdoor attempts.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead 5 minutes into the second on a backhanded goal by Addison DeBoer.

Denver answered just more than 3 minutes later when Bozak's centering pass, intended for left wing Rhett Rakhshani, ricocheted off defenseman Jake Gannon's skate.

CC squandered two shorthanded rushes midway through the period, one a 2-on-1 play by Connelly and Rau and the other a solo opportunity by Scott McCulloch.

But Bachman protected the lead, blocking three successive shots by right wing Nate Dewhurst and, minutes later, a spin shot by center Tyler Ruegsegger.

When the horn blew at the end of the second, Bozak hung his head and leaned on his knees, frustrated.

But 28 seconds into the third, Bozak's hands were overhead after right wing Luke Salazar tied the score off Bozak's pass from behind the net.

"I would have liked to have that one back, any goalie would," Bachman said.

The Pioneers piled on the shots, but couldn't crack Bachman, who strung together saves with kicks, dives and even a flail of the glove.

In a moment emblematic of CC's early-season offensive woes, center Andreas Vlassopoulos' shot with 1:16 left in overtime clanged off the left post.

"I can't buy anything right now," he said. "We're lucky that we came out with a tie with the way we played tonight."