University of Minnesota Athletics
Late Goal Salvages Tie Against North Dakota
1/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Minnesota turned the tables on North Dakota with a late goal in regulation to force overtime as the teams tied 3-3 for the second straight time on Friday at Mariucci Arena.
The Gophers tied the game on a goal by Jacob Cepis with 2:04 left in regulation and then fought off a North Dakota power play for the final 1:08 of overtime to emerge with the tie. On Oct. 17 of this season, the Fighting Sioux scored with 6:50 left in regulation as the teams also tied 3-3. It marked the sixth overtime game between the teams in the past 11 meetings as 10 of the last 14 encounters have been decided by two goals or less.
The tie puts Minnesota at 11-10-2 overall and 6-7-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while fourth-ranked North Dakota is now 12-6-5 overall and 8-6-3 in league play.
North Dakota finished with a 33-27 edge in shots, marking the first time in eight games the Gophers have been outshot. Alex Kangas made 30 saves for the Gophers, while Brad Eidsness finished with 24 stops for the Sioux.
North Dakota scored the only goal of the opening period when Danny Kristo drilled a sharp wrister over the glove of Kangas. Kristo eluded a sliding Minnesota defenseman and hit his shot from the left faceoff circle. Evan Trupp and Jake Marto started the rush and picked up assists on the goal at the 15:56 mark.
Minnesota struck for two goals early in the second period, getting a power play goal from Jordan Schroeder just 53 seconds into the period and a score from Patrick White at the 2:38 mark. Schroeder's goal was a blast from the right point after the puck was cycled from the far corner off passes from Zach Budish and Cade Fairchild. White scored when Ryan Flynn's shot was blocked by a defenseman and came free in the slot where he buried a shot through the legs of Eidsness. Fairchild also assisted the goal.
Kristo tied the game for the Fighting Sioux at 13:24 of the second period, taking a pass from Joe Gleason that was a few inches off the ice. Kristo settled the pass onto his forehand and ripped a shot through a screen past Kangas for his second goal of the game.
Minnesota had a power play in the final two minutes of the second period, but it was North Dakota that had the best scoring chance with a breakaway by Brad Malone in the closing seconds. However, Kangas came up with a big save and the Gophers were also called for a hooking penalty.
Malone made up for his miss with a go-ahead goal at the 6:37 mark of the third period. Evan Trupp had the puck behind the goal and passed out front to Malone, who got just enough of his stick on the puck to deflect it into the net.
Cepis' game-tying goal with 2:04 left came after he collected a loose puck in the slot and sent a shot past Eidsness. Schroeder deflected the puck out of neutral ice and Cepis outraced three Sioux defensemen to the puck and fired the tying goal. It was Cepis' third goal in five games with the Gophers since transferring from Bowling Green.
The third period and overtime were defensive-minded with Minnesota holding a 5-4 edge in shots in the final period and the Sioux getting the only shot during overtime. North Dakota had a power play in overtime when Minnesota's Nick Leddy was called for cross checking with 1:08 remaining, but was unable to create any scoring chances.
Each team had four power plays with Minnesota getting a power play goal for the seventh straight game. North Dakota failed to score on its man-advantage chances.
The two teams play again Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mariucci Arena.
