St. Cloud State wins big over Denver men’s hockey in Game 1

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.

Huskies take this one tonight off 3 PPG.

Rematch tomorrow in the series finale. pic.twitter.com/F1XurjWYMR

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) January 21, 2023

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. 

St. Cloud scores into an empty net with 45.1 seconds left.

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) January 21, 2023

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.

CRUIKSHANK! 🙌

1-T through the 5-hole! #Huskies lead 6-3! 👊#GoHuskies | #HuskyHockey 🏒 pic.twitter.com/sSJwLT0AtE

— St. Cloud State Men’s Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_MH) January 21, 2023

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.

Jami just made the #BrooksCenter explode! 😤😤😤#GoHuskies | #HuskyHockey 🏒 pic.twitter.com/zJrk58BkLK

— St. Cloud State Men’s Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_MH) January 21, 2023

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. 

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

VEETI SCORES!!!

Wicked wrister from outside the left dot gives the #Huskies a 2-goal lead again! #GoHuskies | #HuskyHockey 🏒 pic.twitter.com/hmBrrsQ9x8

— St. Cloud State Men’s Hockey (@SCSUHuskies_MH) January 21, 2023

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.

EDDY!

Pios get one back. 4-3 with 6:31 left in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/QUhEEgjrBd

— Denver Hockey (@DU_Hockey) January 21, 2023