Sitting just two points away from the final home-ice playoff spot in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with the two teams directly ahead of it in the standings on the schedule on back-to-back weekends, the University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team knows it needs wins, and it needs them now.

But with points at a premium and the equally as hungry University of Denver in Duluth on Friday night, the Bulldogs couldn't muster anything in a 3-0 loss in front of 6,129 at AMSOIL Arena. It was only the third conference loss for UMD in its last 11 WCHA games (7-3-1) and  Denver's first win in its first-ever game at AMSOIL Arena.

Larkin Jacobson, Joey LaLeggia and Nolan Zajac each scored for the Pioneers, while Juho Olkinuora stopped 26 shots in the shutout effort to help boost their lead over UMD to three points in the standings.

Rookie goalie Matt McNeely, making his ninth straight start had 22 saves for UMD.

“Obviously the first period was horrendous,” said winger Mike Seidel. “We started doing the little things better in the second, and had some momentum, but ultimately it wasn't a great game for us.”

Only three Bulldog skaters had more than 2 shots on net, sustained zonetime was infrequent and the best scoring chances came without second and third looks. The power play was off, too, managing only a pair of shots on six attempts, not including maybe UMD's best scoring chance of the game, a missed tap-in at the doorstep just minutes into the contest.

All is not lost for the Bulldogs, though, as they know there is still time to get into the top-half and lock up their fourth straight first-round home playoff series.

“We have to clean up the defensive zone, and definitely eliminate our turnovers at the blue line. We just have to have guys forecheck and be in the right position,” Seidel said.

Jacobson started the scoring 11 minutes, 28 seconds into the contest when he knocked home a loose puck in front of McNeely. After a Grant Arnold dump-in from center took a funny bounce, McNeely did what he could to kick the rebound away from the net. Unfortunately, it landed right on Jacobson's stick in the slot, and he didn't miss.

Then, halfway through the middle period, LaLeggia took a cross-crease pass and directed it over McNeely's pad to give Denver a 2-0 lead. Zajac then added an insurance marker in the third to complete the scoring.

UMD and Denver wrap up their two-game WCHA series tomorrow night at AMSOIL Arena. Puck-drop is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.