CHICAGO — Denver’s Jarid Lukosevicius scored the first hat trick in an NCAA national championship game since his coach Jim Montgomery did it for Maine in 1993, giving the Pioneers to a 3-1 lead over Minnesota Duluth after two.
Lukosevicius deflected a shot by Michael Davies at 4:44 and poked in a goal-mouth feed from Troy Terry at 5:00, the fastest two goals by the same player in a national championship game. His third goal again came on the doorstep as he buried a pass from Dylan Gambrell at 12:23.
Duluth’s Alex Iafallo scored on the power play at 7:16, putting home a feed from Joey Anderson to cut the Denver lead at that point to 2-1.
Denver failed to score on its lone power play of the period.
The Pioneers are outshooting the Bulldogs 25-23 through two periods, though Duluth had the advantage 13-12 in the second.
WE’VE GOT A HAT TRICK!!!
Jarid Lukosevicius is living the dream right now… Denver now up 3-1 in the 2nd! #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/I9PEkBDdoD
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 9, 2017
HERE COMES UMD!!
The Bulldogs respond with the Power Play tally by Alex Iafallo!! #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/niHFQc3IVP
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 9, 2017
Lukosevicius…. AGAIN!!!!!!!
2 goals. 16 seconds. Troy Terry on the setup this time… 2-0 Denver in the 2nd! #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/Tl3YsxwSby
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 9, 2017
THE PIOS STRIKE FIRST!!!
Jarid Lukosevicius tips it home to give Denver the 1-0 lead!! #NationalChampionship pic.twitter.com/NAaWo4YiKe
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) April 9, 2017
