MINNEAPOLIS – Parity, a word that can be defined without being defined. It was also the goal of the NCHC when it was formed; and for the second-consecutive season, parity was achieved.

For the second-consecutive season the NCHC Frozen Faceoff showed why on any given night, anyone in this conference could compete for its crown. This afternoon, it was Denver's time as the Pioneers handed UND a 5-1 defeat in the third-place game at the Target Center.

“We couldn't ever really get ourselves into a rhythm,” said UND head coach Dave Hasktol. “We were a bit off this weekend and we got beat by two pretty good teams.”

With the loss, No. 1 ranked North Dakota was faced with a reality that it had not faced since November 2013, its first winless streak longer than one game.

The streak lasted a span of 68 games for UND, but in the NCHC third-place game, it came to a screeching halt.

North Dakota will return home facing a slightly different situation than it saw last season, as UND was the final at-large team into the NCAA Tournament. This season, UND will head back to Grand Forks knowing it will head to Fargo, N.D. as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA West Regional with its opponent to be determined Sunday morning.

“We have a lot of confidence in ourselves that we will get back on track,” Hakstol said. “We have had our ups and downs this season, but we have great leaders.”

For the second-consecutive game, UND got off to the start it wanted by striking first. Senior forward Brendan O'Donnell stripped goaltender Tanner Jaillet of the puck behind the DU net and fed the puck to fellow-senior Connor Gaarder who rifled the puck over the shoulder of Jaillet to give UND the 1-0 lead.

For Gaarder it was his ninth goal of the season, which ties his career-high. Gaarder also set a new career-high in points with 19.

However, the lead for UND did not last long as less than a minute later, the Pioneers responded. Josiah Didier had a puck ricochet out to him as he fired a shot through a maze of bodies and past goaltender Zane McIntyre to even the game up at 1-1.

UND looked to avoid the late-period collapse it created on Friday against the Huskies, however, the pressure of the Pioneers would not let up.

With less than three minutes left in the first, Denver came down on a 4x3 rush as defenseman Nolan Zajac found Quentin Shore who one-timed the puck through the five-hole of McIntyre to give Denver the 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.

For the second-time in as many nights for UND, the green and white found itself quickly behind the eight ball again by giving up two late-period goals.

In the second period, UND looked to have regained the momentum in had lost late in the first period with an early penalty kill and creating chances in the Pioneer zone.

However, UND could not capitalize on any of its opportunities in the early portions of the period, and as many have learned, hockey is a game of momentum; which can change on an instant.

And boy did it change quickly.

Following a barrage of UND chances, Denver quickly came down the other way as Matt VanVoorhis slipped a cross-ice pass to Matt Tabrum who one-timed a shot into the top corner to give the Pioneers a 3-1 lead midway through the second period.

The Pioneers collapsed into a defensive-shell for the remainder of the second period, blocking five UND shots and killing a UND power play in the final minutes of the period to hold a 3-1 lead heading into the third.

In the third and trailing by two, UND knew it was going to have to take some chances in the offensive zone and would risk being exposed on the defensive end.

However, Denver put the nail in UND's coffin as Nick Neville scored his first-career goal by firing a puck that deflected off a UND defenseman's leg and in to put DU up 4-1 with under 15 minutes to play.

With the clock running out on UND, Denver put the game away as Trevor Moore and Emil Romig executed a perfect 2x1 play as Moore fed Romig for an easy tap-in goal to give Denver the 5-1 win.

“We have some extremely talented players,” said senior defenseman Nick Mattson. “I have no doubt that we will come back.”

UND now turns its attention to the national stage, as UND will start the push for its eighth NCAA title next weekend in Fargo, N.D. UND hopes that its rigorous conference schedule will help them prepare for what lies ahead in the NCAA Tournament.

“We'll go back to work with a lot of confidence and have more fun in the game than we did this weekend,” Hakstol said. “We have an understanding of the teams in the field and what it takes to win.”

The green and white will learn its opponent and game time Sunday at 10 a.m. on ESPNU.

NOTES: With the loss tonight, UND becomes the final NCHC team to lose consecutive games on the season … Denver blocked 17 UND shots, compared to 13 for UND … Denver also won 39 of the 65 draws (60.0%) … UND finished the night 0-for-3 on the power play … UND out-attempted Denver 60-51 in shots, including 21-9 in the third period … Pattyn played in his 164th career game, tops among active Division I men's players. He needs to play two more to crack UND's all-time top 10 … DU's Shore, Moore, and Neville were named the game's three stars.