Bulldogs Lose Third Straight in 4-3 Defeat to Denver

UMD rallies late but falls short against shorthanded Pioneers

Jan. 30, 2026 at 11:15pm

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The seventh-ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs suffered their third consecutive 4-3 loss, this time falling to the 11th-ranked Denver Pioneers on Friday night at Magness Arena. Despite a late comeback attempt, the Bulldogs were unable to overcome a 4-0 deficit after two periods as Denver held on for the victory.

Why it matters

The Bulldogs' losing streak has them slipping in the national rankings and NCHC standings, raising concerns about their ability to maintain their position as one of the top teams in college hockey. The game also highlighted Denver's resilience in overcoming injuries to their goaltending corps.

The details

Denver jumped out to a 4-0 lead through two periods, with goals from Sam Harris, Reid Varkonyi, Kyle Chyzowski and Cale Ashcroft. UMD's rally in the third period fell short despite power play goals from Kyle Gaffney and Daniel Shlaine, as well as a late tally from Ty Hanson. Denver's starting goaltender Johnny Hicks left the game with an injury, forcing backup Paxton Geisel to finish the contest.

  • Denver scored the opening goal in the final minute of the first period.
  • The Pioneers extended their lead to 4-0 by the end of the second period.
  • UMD scored three unanswered goals in the third period, but could not find the equalizer.

The players

Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

The seventh-ranked college hockey team that is currently on a three-game losing streak.

Denver Pioneers

The 11th-ranked college hockey team that held off a late Bulldogs comeback to win 4-3.

Johnny Hicks

The Denver freshman goaltender who made 29 saves before leaving the game with an injury.

Paxton Geisel

The Denver junior goaltender who replaced the injured Hicks and stopped 3 of 5 shots to preserve the win.

Adam Gajan

The UMD sophomore goaltender who made 18 saves in the losing effort.

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What they’re saying

“We must find a way to end this losing streak and get back on track. Our power play kept us in the game, but we need to tighten up our defense and limit turnovers.”

— Kyle Gaffney, Senior Center, Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

What’s next

The Bulldogs and Pioneers will wrap up their weekend series on Saturday night at 7 p.m. CST at Magness Arena. UMD will also be without starting goaltender Adam Gajan for the next few weeks as he departs to join the Slovakian Olympic team.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the resilience of the Denver Pioneers, who were able to hold off a late comeback attempt by the Bulldogs despite being shorthanded in goal. For UMD, the loss is their third straight and raises concerns about their ability to maintain their status as one of the top teams in college hockey this season.