Three power play goals and a lockdown third-period performance from All-American goaltender Hunter Shepard resulted in key National Collegiate Hockey Conference victory for the University of Minnesota Duluth Friday night in Denver, Colo.

The No. 11 Bulldogs went 3-for-6 with the extra man while Shepard made 39 saves, including 17 in the final 20 minutes of regulation, en route to taking down the University of Denver 3-2 and putting the skids on the No. 4 Pioneer's 11-game unbeaten streak.

Junior right winger Nick Swaney gave UMD a 1-0 lead 7:40 into the game when he beat Denver goaltender Magnus Chrona on a wraparound for his ninth goal of the season. The Pioneers, who were 8-0-3 in their last 11 outings, answered a little under five minutes later, before UMD regained the lead with 5.7 seconds to go before the intermission  on junior center Justin Richards' eighth tally of the year, which came off a rebound. The Pioneers struck with the man advantage early in the second period, but sophomore right winger's  Cole Koepke's snipe from the top of the left faceoff circle put the Bulldogs back on top for good. Koepke, who has racked up a career-best 10 goals this winter, also assisted on Richard's score.

The Bulldogs, now unbeaten in six of their last seven matchups with the Pioneers (5-1-1), were outshot for only the fifth time this season (41-27, including 17-4 in the third period).

The two teams will meet again Saturday night at Denver's Magness Arena.