University of Minnesota Athletics
GOLDEN GOPHERS SPOIL NORTH DAKOTA'S HOME OPENER 7-5
10/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Minnesota trailed 5-3 entering the third period before scoring four unanswered goals to claim the victory. Prior to the victory, the Golden Gophers were just 1-40-5 when trailing after two periods.
North Dakota took the lead early on as Chad Mazurak scored just six minutes into the contest. The Golden Gophers responded as Mike Erickson's backhand beat Sioux goaltender Andy Kollar. It was Erickson's first career goal in the Maroon and Gold.
The 1-1 ties though wouldn't last long as David Lundbohm scored a pair of goals to put UND up 3-1. Then, with Troy Riddle in the penalty box, Jordan Leopold cleared the puck from the Minnesota zone. It took one bounce and went right between the pads of Kollar to pull Minnesota to within one. North Dakota's Ryan Bayda though, helped the Sioux regain the momentum with a goal just 11 seconds later.
Trailing 4-2 entering the second period, Adam Hauser was pulled in favor of freshman Travis Weber. Weber held the Fighting Sioux in check the rest of the way. After Jeff Taffe scored just 31 seconds into the period, UND regained a two-goal lead midway through the second period.
The third period was dominated by Minnesota as it outshot UND 14-4. Leopold began the assault with a power-play goal just 27 seconds into the period. Less than a minute and a half later, Taffe added his second goal to knot the game at five. Jon Waibel deflected freshman Keith Ballard's shot at 3:25 and that proved to be the game-winner. Matt Koalska added an insurance goal at 8:44.
Weber stopped 13 of 14 shots in his debut, while Ballard added two assists and Erickson notched his first career goal.
