Denver at Providence: Pregame Notes and Line Combinations

PROVIDENCE — Happy New Year’s Eve and welcome inside Schneider Arena on the campus of Providence College where the Friars and No. 2 Denver Pioneers are set to conclude their non-conference weekend series. Faceoff is set for 5 p.m.

The Friars carried a lead into the third period of last night’s contest, but Denver sophomore Jarid Lukosevicius scored 8:36 into the third period to force a 2-2 tie. It was the first meeting between the teams since the 2015 NCAA Northeast Regional downtown at Dunkin’ Donuts Center.

Junior Jake Walman and sophomore Garrett Gamez scored goals to give the hosts 1-0 and 2-1 leads in the first and second frames, while junior Brian Pinho assisted on both for his second multi-point game in the last three.

With last night’s effort, Pinho surpassed sophomore Erik Foley for the Friars’ team lead with 16 points, 11 of which are assists. Foley is currently away playing for Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship. Denver’s Troy Terry is also on the U.S. roster, while PC’s Kasper Bjorkqvist and Denver’s Henrik Borgstrom are representing Finland.

Additionally, Denver sophomore Dylan Gambrell returns to the top line after he served a one-game suspension handed down from the NCHC for an illegal stick infraction (spearing) in the Pioneers’ 3-1 loss to Minnesota-Duluth on Dec. 10.

The loss to UMD snapped Denver’s 15-game unbeaten streak over which it was 12-0-3, but the Pios remained unbeaten (5-0-2) on road ice this season with last night’s tie.

Here are tonight’s lines:

PIONEERS (12-3-4)

Emil Romig - Dylan Gambrell - Jarid Lukosevicius
Evan Janssen - Matt Marcinew - Logan O’Connor
Kevin Conley - Tyson McLellan - Colin Staub
Matt VanVoorhis - Evan Ritt - Liam Finlay

Adam Plant - Will Butcher
Tariq Hammond - Michael Davies
Blake Hillman - Erich Fear

Tanner Jaillet
Evan Cowley

FRIARS (7-6-4)

Josh Wilkins - Brian Pinho - Ryan Tait
Brandon Duhaime - Scott Conway - Chase Zieky
Conor MacPhee - Bryan Lemos - Garrett Gamez
Robbie Hennessey - Alex Cromwell - Shane Kavanaugh

Kyle McKenzie - Spenser Young
Jake Walman - Josh Monk
Jacob Bryson - Vincent Desharnais

Hayden Hawkey
Kris Carlson
Brendan Leahy