DENVER — Cole Guttman banked a tough-angle shot off Filip Lindberg’s back with 2 minutes, 7 seconds left to lift Denver to a 4-2 win over UMass on Friday night in Denver.

Guttman won a puck battle to Lindberg’s left, caught the sophomore off the post and threw the puck on net. Lindberg attempted to close the opening, but it ricocheted off his back and into the goal. UMass pulled the goalie after a Denver icing and the Pioneers scored on the empty net.

The ninth-ranked Minutemen (13-5-1) entered the third period with a 2-1 lead, but were unable to sustain offensive pressure in the third period. The seventh-ranked Pioneers (12-4-3) tied the game five minutes into the third on Tyson McLellan’s deflection of Slava Demin’s shot from the point.

“It’s frustrating,” Carvel told WHMP after the game. “We had a lead in the third and I’m not sure if they deserved to win the game today, but they did and that’s the sign of a great team.”

After the goal, Denver continued to harp pressure on Lindberg, outshooting UMass 14-8 over the final 20 minutes. Lindberg finished with 29 saves in the game.

After a goalless first period, UMass struck first on a clean faceoff win by George Mika less than five minutes into the second. The junior was able to guide the puck to Peyton Reeves, who teed up Matt Kessel for a rocket that evaded Reeves and Mika on the way to the net.

Demin tied the game 8:10 into the period, but the deadlock didn’t last long. Jake McLaughlin gave the Minutemen the lead again, hammering home a feed from Bobby Trivigno into an empty net.

The game turned in the Pioneers’ favor almost four minutes after McLaughlin gave UMass the lead. The senior pinched in to try to keep the puck in the offensive zone and lowered his shoulder into a Denver forward. McLaughlin’s elbow made contact with the player’s head, earning him a five-minute major and the game misconduct.

Although the Minutemen were able to escape without conceding a power-play goal, losing their senior defenseman proved to be too much. Denver dominated the game from that point forward and limited the Minutemen’s offensive chances.

Neither team was able to find any success on the man advantage. Denver was 0-for-5 on the power play and UMass was 0-for-4.