Northwestern thought long and hard about letting Colorado win this one. Nearly 30 minutes without scoring is usually enough to keep a team from winning. But a rapid fire 4-0 goals in the last 5 minutes made the game look more lopsided than it really was.
Northwestern emerged from the first half with a 7-4 lead, but then the Wildcats hit a wall. Northwestern continued to falter under pressure, going just 6-14 on clear attempts. Northwestern dominated in the draw control circle winning 15 of the 19 opportunities. But all those possessions didn't translate into goals, as Northwestern was outshot 23-21 and turned the ball over more (14 to 11).