University of Minnesota Athletics
NORTH DAKOTA DOWNS GOLDEN GOPHERS 4-3 IN WCHA SHOWDOWN
1/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Minnesota got on the board first at 1:57 of the opening period on Troy Riddle's breakaway goal that beat UND goaltender Josh Siembida top shelf. Joey Martin and Nick Angell picked up assists on the marker. The Maroon and Gold made it 2-0 about six minutes later with Jeff Taffe's power play goal at 8:03. Taffe used a John Pohl assist from the corner to one-time the puck to Siembida's glove side. It was Taffe's team-leading 17th lamplighter of the season. Grant Potulny earned the second assist.
The second period came and went with no scoring. The Golden Gophers had numerous scoring chances and outshot the Fighting Sioux 13-5 for the period.
North Dakota began its rally at 2:19 of the third period on Brian Canady's goal. Canady and Ryan Connelly raced into the zone on a 2-on-1 with Canady scoring into an open net off of a rebound of Connelly's shot. UND knotted the game at two at 9:27 on James Massen's breakaway goal that beat Minnesota goalie Adam Hauser top shelf.
The Fighting Sioux took the lead for good at 15:44 behind Ryan Bayda's marker. Bayda picked up a puck that squirted to him from behind the net and put it past Hauser on the right side. Tim Skarperud and Brandon Bochenski picked up the assists. Jason Notermann made it 4-2 at 19:00, scoring into a Minnesota empty net.
With the goaltender still pulled, the Golden Gophers scored with three seconds remaining on a Grant Potulny deflection of a Jordan Leopold slapshot from the right point.
Minnesota outshot UND 17-11 in the final period and 40-24 for the game. The Golden Gophers move their WCHA record to 6-3-2 (14-3-3 overall). The two teams meet again Sunday at 7:05 p.m. to close out the series.
