University of Minnesota Athletics
North Dakota Outlasts Gophers in Series Opener
12/8/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
After battling through two scoreless periods, North Dakota struck four times in the final period, including twice in the final four minutes to emerge with a 4-2 win over Minnesota on Friday at Englestad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
Minnesota dominated the first two periods with a 26-12 advantage in shots, but had nothing to show for its efforts. North Dakota finally broke through in the third period and broke a 2-2 tie with its two late goals in a game that featured intensity of a postseason contest in front of a sold-out crowd of 11,384. The Gophers are now 8-8-1 overall and 4-7 in the WCHA, while North Dakota is 8-5-1 overall and 6-5 in the league.
The Gophers had the first six shots on goal and held North Dakota without a shot for nearly nine minutes to open the game, while owning a 15-3 advantage in the opening period. North Dakota had the best chance, however, as T.J. Oshie fired a puck off the crossbar that was confirmed by replay review.
Minnesota maintained its momentum in the second period with an 11-9 shots advantage, but North Dakota broke the stalemate early in the third period when Chay Genoway launched a shot over the left shoulder of Gophers' goaltender Jeff Frazee and just under the crossbar at the 1:37 mark.
The Gophers countered with a power play goal at the 7:10 mark of the period as Blake Wheeler rattled a shot off the inside of the far post after a cross-ice pass from Jay Barriball. Mike Howe also assisted the goal, which was the first of two Minnesota comebacks.
The second rally came after North Dakota took a 2-1 lead on a goal by Rylan Kaip at 11:37 mark of the period as Ryan Flynn deflected in a shot by Kyle Okposo at 14:58 of the period. Okposo won the faceoff and took an immediate shot for another power play goal.
"If you would have told me we would outshoot them like that for 40 minutes and score two power play goals, I would have expected a different result," Gophers' coach Don Lucia said. "It was a hard-fought game and I'm proud of our effort all the way to the end."
North Dakota nearly broke the tie shortly after the Gophers' game-tying score, but a goal was waived off after a whistle stopped play when Barriball lost his helmet at neutral ice. The true go-ahead score came with 3:37 left as Matt Watkins scored from a side angle, beating Frazee through a small opening at the near post. North Dakota added another just 32 seconds later as Brad Malone drilled a shot from the slot after Evan Trupp made a wrap-around pass from behind the net.
North Dakota had over half of its shots in the third period, holding an 18-13 advantage, though Minnesota owned the edge for the game at 39-30. Jean-Phillipe Lamoreux stopped 37 shots, while Frazee made 26 saves for the Gophers, who were two-for-five on the power play.
The teams meet again on Saturday at 7:07 p.m. in the final game for both squads before the holiday break.
