DENVER, Colo. -- UND forward Ryan Duncan (So., Calgary, Alberta) scored two goals, his WCHA-leading 26th and 27th of the season, and Sioux goalie Philippe Lamoureux (Jr., Grand Forks, N.D.) stopped all 28 shots he faced as the UND men's hockey team shut out Denver 3-0 on Saturday to gain a split of the weekend series between the teams.
The Fighting Sioux raised their overall record to 18-12-4 and their WCHA mark to 12-10-4. Denver fell to 21-12-3 overall and 13-10-3 in the WCHA.
The Sioux moved into sole possession of fourth place in the league standings with 28 points, two points ahead of fifth-place Colorado College, which still has 26 points after losing 6-4 at Minnesota State on Satuday.
UND is one point behind third-place Denver going into the final weekend of play. The Sioux can still finish anywhere from third through sixth depending on next weekend's results.
For Lamoureux, the shutout was his third of the season and fourth in his career.
UND led 1-0 after a penalty-filled first period in which Denver was called for six minor penalties and North Dakota three minor penalties.
The Sioux scored at 17:17 of the first when Duncan scored on the power play. Duncan took a pass from T.J. Oshie (So., Warroad, Minn.) at the bottom of the right circle and drilled it into an open net before Pioneers goalie Peter Mannino could get over to cover. It was the 26th goal of the season for Duncan, who has now scored goals in four consecutive games. It also was the eventual game-winning goal, the fifth of the season for Duncan.
Denver outshot the Sioux 10-5 in the period despite UND having four power play opportunities and Denver two.
UND took a 2-0 lead at 6:57 of the second period when Rylan Kaip (Jr., Radville, Saskatchewan) blasted a slap shot from the high slot for his third goal of the season.
The Sioux took a 3-0 lead at 11:56 of the second when Duncan scored his second power play goal of the game.
Denver's Tom May was ejected for checking from behind at 10:40 of the second period.
Denver outshot UND 28-20 in the game.
NOTES: Duncan has a nine-game point-scoring streak in addition to his four-game goal-scoring streak. He has 21 points (10g, 11a) in his last 11 games.
