University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota and St. Cloud State Skate to 3-3 Tie
1/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
St. Cloud State got on the board first as Joe Jensen scored his fourth goal of the weekend just 1:19 into the game. The lead held for SCSU until the 11:11 mark when Brett MacKinnon passed behind the net to Joey Martin. Martin took the puck and slid the backhand past Jason Montgomery.
In the second period on the power-play, Jerrid Reinholz was there for the rebound off of Keith Ballard's wrist shot. It was Reinholz's second goal in four games since returning from injury.
Freshman Thomas Vanek got into the act late in the second period. Vanek was on the doorstep to slam home another Ballard wrist shot. It was Vanek's 17th goal of the season, four more than any other rookie in the NCAA.
The 3-1 lead was cut in half just 19 seconds into the third period. Derek Eastman's wrister was deflected by Mike Doyle past Travis Weber.
Nursing a 3-2 lead, the game turned on a penalty. With less than three minutes to play, Paul Martin and a Husky raced for a puck in the corner of Minnesota's zone. Martin was called for interference and Peter Szabo capitalized at 18:50 with his backhander.
Minnesota dominated the third period, outshooting the Huskies 21-10, but could not find the back of the net. Montgomery stopped Ballard on a breakaway with 13 minutes to play in the game.
Minnesota outshot SCSU 3-1 in the overtime session, but neither team was able to take the victory.
The Golden Gophers outshot St. Cloud State, 49-24, but Montgomery stopped 46 shots to earn the tie.
Notes:
- Minnesota has not lost consecutive games since the end of the 2000-01 season.
- Minnesota has not been swept by a WCHA foe since March, 2001, a span of 20 league series.
- Minnesota is 13-0-3 in its last 16 WCHA series finales.
