Box ScoreA late rally was just what the University of Minnesota Duluth needed — and got — Monday night in its exhibition matchup with Lakehead University. The Bulldogs struck three times in a six-minute span late in the third period to overcome a 2-1 deficit and shade the Thunderwolves 4-2 at AMSOIL Arena.

The Bulldogs got goals from four different players, including senior right winger Justin Crandall, who picked up the eventual game-winner and also had an assist, while upping their all-time record against Canadian universities to 33-3-2 (12-0-0 vs. Lakehead).  UMD is now also 15-1-0 in exhibition games under 15th-year head coach Scott Sandelin.

Lakehead, out of Thunder Bay, Ontario, took an early 1-0 lead on Jake Carrik’s wrister from near the left faceoff dot that beat UMD junior goaltender Matt McNeely. That score held up for the next 26 minutes until rookie winger Brett Boehm swatted in a loose puck inside the Thunderwolves goal crease to draw the Bulldogs even. Three minutes later, at 9:58 of the second, Lakehead answered and went into the intermission break up 2-1 despite being outshot 38-17. Junior left winger Austin Farley ignited the UMD comeback with a power play goal off a rebound 13:19 into the third period and Crandall followed that up by scoring shorthanded at 18:25. With 21 seconds to go in regulation and Lakehead on the power play with their goalie pulled, sophomore left winger Alex Iafallo buried an empty-netter from just inside the center red line to ice the win.

Freshman Kasimir Kaskisuo came in on relief of McNeely and stopped all nine shots he faced in 20:02 of work for the Bulldogs, who finished with a 61-21 shot advantage on the night.

“It was was good that we didn’t get too high or too high in order to battle back,” said Crandall, who finished a +2 on the night. “It wasn’t pretty, obviously, but we put a lot of pucks on net and it was a nice way to start the season.”

UMD will launch its 71st season of competition this Friday afternoon (Oct. 10) at the Ice Breaker Tournament in South Bend, Ind., where it’ll face the University of Minnesota in the opening round.