Dec. 31, 1999

DENVER, Colo. - The Notre Dame hockey team jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but needed a third-period goal from junior left wing Dan Carlson to force a 3-3 tie with the University of Denver, in New Years Eve action at Magness Arena in the first round of the Norwest Denver Cup.

After five minutes of scoreless overtime, the teams were forced to play a rare shootout in order to determine which team would advance to Saturdays title game versus defending national champion Maine. DU senior goaltender Stephen Wagner stopped all five Irish attempts while DU junior center Bjorn Engstrom scored on DUs fourth try to send the Pioneers into the title game. The Irish will face Colorado College in the consolation game (the Tigers lost to Maine in Fridays early game, 4-3).

Notre Dame (8-11-2)-which continued to play without four of its top-four forwards due to junior national team commitments and injury-received first-period goals from junior right wing Matt Van Arkel and junior defenseman Ryan Clark, who grew up in nearby Littleon, Colo. Sophomore Jeremiah Kimento matched Wagner with 21 saves, including several from close range in the third period.

Denver (7-12-0) failed to record a shot on goal during the games first 15 minutes but the Pioneers put two goals on the board in the second period, on Engstroms rebound score and a blast from the right circle by senior left wing Jon Newman. Senior Joe Casey then scored from the top of the slot with 6:38 left in regulation but Carlson re-tied the game 49 seconds later.

SCORING RECAPS

• Van Arkel scored his third goal of the season just 1:32 into the game, with assists from senior C Troy Bagne and junior LW Jay Kopischke ... Van Arkel flicked a shot on goal from the left circle, with Wagner misplaying the puck through his legs for the 1-0 Irish lead.

• Clark notched his first goal of the season and second of his career four minutes later, with assists from junior RW Ryan Dolder and freshman D Evan Nielsen ... Clark found himself open at the top of the slot and sent a rising shot past Wagners glove hand for a two-goal cushion (5:34).

• Newman set the first DU goal in motion, with sophomore D Erik Adams then sending a shot on net and Engstrom sending back the rebound from between the circles for his sixth goal of the season, with Kimento getting his glove on the high shot but unable to prevent the Pioneers first goal of the night (3:32).

• DU tied the game in the 15th minute of the second period, on the sixth goal of the season from Newman ... senior RW Joe Ritson sent a hand pass near the boards and Newman uncorked a shot from the right circle, with the puck beating a partially-screened Kimento to the short side (14:39) ... the Irish immediately argued that Ritson provided an illegal hand pass but the goal stood.

• DU surged ahead at the 13:22 mark of the third period, after a turnover in the Irish zone ... freshman center Jordan Bianchin set up Casey at the top of the slot, with the low shot sneaking between Kimentos skates for a 3-2 Pioneers lead.

• The Irish re-tied the game 49 seconds later, with Bagne and Dolder picking up their second assists of the night. Carlson had time between the circles and fooled Wagner, who slid to his right while Carlson fired a low shot into the other side of the net.

• Carlson opened the shootout by stopping quickly at the top of the crease and pulling the puck to his right for a backhanded shot, but Wagner held his ground for an easy save ... Kimento then made the best save of the shootout, on a backhanded shot by junior C Kelly Popadynetz (Kimento kicked his pads out to his right and kicked the puck away with his right skate ... Irish senior C Ben Simon went next and played the puck back-and-forth before trying a forehand shot at the left side of the crease, with Wagner again in perfect position for the save ... DU senior RW Bryce Wallnutt then tried to beat Kimento, who directed the try wide with a stick save ... Irish senior RW Joe Dusbabek then skated in and kept the puck on his forehand all the way, with Wagner making his third straight save ... the lefthanded Newman took the next DU try but sent a forehand shot right into Kimentos glove ... Irish senior LW Andy Jurkowski went next but Wagner smothered his backhander at the left side of the crease ... Engstrom finally found the net, shuttling the puck back-and-forth before sneaking a forehander between Kimentos outstretched leg and the left post ... Dolder had the final Irish save but Wagner closed the gap between his skates for the clinching save.

  NOTES: The Irish have given up 22 goals in their last six games ... Notre Dame has scored the first goal in each of its last three games but failed to record a victory ... seven of NDs last 11 games have been decided by 0-1 goals ... NDs last nine OT games have produced eight ties and one loss (0-1-5 in 1998-99) ... the Irish are 0-4-1 this season when playing the first game of non-conference weekend action ... Dolder has eight points (3G-5A) in the last seven games ... Simons five-game point streak came to an end ... Jurkowski played in his 73rd consecutive game ... Kopischke has 2G-2A in his last five games played ... Bagne has 2G-2A in 12 games played this season (3G-8A in 99 games during his first three seasons) ...

  NOTRE DAME (7-11-3) 2 0 1 0 - 3

  DENVER (7-11-1) 0 2 1 0 - 3

  1st: ND 1. Van Arkel 3 (Bagne, Kopischke) 1:32, ND 2. Clark 1 (Dolder, Nielsen).

  2nd: DU 1. Engstrom 6 (Adams, Newman) 3:32, DU 2. Newman 6 (Ritson) 14:39.

  3rd: DU 3. Casey 4 (Bianchin) 13:22, ND 3. Carlson 5 (Bagne, Dolder) 14:11

  Shots: ND 11-6-5-2/24, DU 2-10-11-1/24.

  Saves: ND (Kimento) 2-8-10-1/21, DU (Wagner) 9-6-4-2/21.

  Power Play: ND 0-for-2, DU 0-for-2.

  Penalties: ND 4 for 8:00, DU 4 for 8:00