Roundup: OT Win Seals Split for North Dakota

UMD, Denver Share Weekend Points; SCSU Crushes CC

CHN Staff Report

After Friday night's thriller in Omaha, North Dakota and Nebraska-Omaha played another memorable one with UND getting its revenge in a 4-3 overtime win.

UNO entered the weekend with a one-point lead on North Dakota for first place in the NCHC standings. With both games going to overtime, the teams split the available six points and remain separated by one point.

"There was a real focus," UND coach Dave Hakstol said. "Nothing else was talked about. We didn't come to go to a shootout. We didn't come to split points tonight. We needed this one.

"That was a huge win, a huge goal. To hear the guys on the bench, there was only one thing: We needed three points, not a shootout."

UND's Brendan O'Donnell scored the overtime winner at 2:04 of the extra period.

Brian Cooper tied the game for UNO on the power play at 16:16 of the third period after Stephane Pattyn put UND on top at 9:15.

The teams traded goals throughout the game with UND going on top in the first through Mark MacMillan. Jake Guentzel answered. Each player scored his team's next goal as well.

UNO goaltender Ryan Massa made 38 saves despite taking the loss.

Minnesota Duluth 4, Denver 2

January hasn't been kind to Minnesota Duluth. League losses to North Dakota, Western Michigan and Denver made things a bit tricky in the NCHC. Last weekend's defeat to Bemidji State certainly hurt the Bulldogs' cause in the Pairwise as well.

However, UMD ended the month on a positive, taking a 4-2 decision in Denver.

"Another hard-fought game just like last night," UMD coach Scott Sandelin told the Duluth News Tribune. "We got the lead, and they battled back like we tried last night."

A pair of second-period goals from Dominic Toninato and Alex Iafallo put the Bulldogs ahead, 3-1, after both teams scored in the first period.

DU's Quentin Shore brought the Pioneers within a goal with a strike at 4:36 of the third period. Kasimir Kaskisuo made 10 saves in the third period to help UMD hold its lead. Adam Krause's empty-net goal saled the win at 19:04.

Kaskisuo ended the night with 31 saves for UMD.

"Your best penalty kill is your goalie, and he made two or three big saves for us," Sandelin told the DNT.

UMD's win gave it a two point lead over fourth-place Miami in the NCHC standings.

Denver missed a big opportunity to jump into home-ice position in the NCHC standings. The split with UMD has DU two points back of Miami.

"It's disappointing to not get the sweep but hats off to the Bulldogs for playing a very good game," DU coach Jim Montgomery said. "They're a high-quality opponent, and they might be the fastest team in the country. We had a tough time keeping up with them at certain points in the game, and that really cost us."

St. Cloud State 6, Colorado College 1

St. Cloud State scored four third-period goals to turn a 2-1 lead into a comfortable 6-1 win over Colorado College. The Huskies' win completed a weekend sweep of the Tigers.

Jonny Brodzinski and David Morley each scored two goals for the Huskies in the win.

CC took an early 1-0 lead through Sam Rothstein at 3:52 of the first period. Morley's first of the night at 7:30 leveled the game, 1-1, and the Huskies never looked back.

SCSU has won three of its last four games. In its three victories, it's outscored opponents 20-2. The Huskies are now off until they head to Duluth on Feb. 13 for the start of two games with the Bulldogs. Currently, SCSU is just four points out of home ice in the NCHC playoffs.

Western Michigan 3, Miami 3 (OT)

Miami wins shootout, 2-1

Lukas Hafner did all he could on Saturday night to keep Western Michigan in the game. His 39 saves, including 17 in the third period, helped the Broncos earn a 3-3 tie with Miami. However, he couldn't bail them out completely. Miami won the shootout for the extra point, 2-1.

WMU led, 2-1, after two periods. Frederik Tiffels and Mike McKee scored after Matthew Caito put Miami up, 1-0.

Anthony Louis and Sean Kuraly scored just 20 seconds apart in the third period to put the RedHawks up, 3-2, with 5:29 to play in regulation.

Colton Hargrove's 11th goal of the came with just 13 seconds to play to force overtime for WMU.

"When you play a game, and you tie it in the last few seconds of the hockey game, there is rationale to come into the locker room and pat people on the back," WMU coach Andy Murry said.

"Here tonight, we made a play at the end of the hockey game. It was a big goal, no question about it, but we let a team come in here and get too many shots and win too many battles against us."

After a scoreless overtime, Louis and Cody Murphy scored for Miami to clinch the extra point for the RedHawks.

Miami is now unbeaten in its last two games after losing three straight earlier this month.