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Mavericks Stop Dogs

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Minnesota State University-Mankato right winger Zeb Knutson’s power play goal with 2:23 remaining in overtime not only spoiled the University of Minnesota Duluth’s 2014-15 home opener, but put the clamps on a gritty comeback effort by the Bulldogs as well.

No. 20 UMD came back from a 4-1 second-period deficit to force the extra session, only to fall 5-4 to its former Western Collegiate Hockey Assocation rivals before a crowd of 6,640 at AMSOIL Arena. The loss, which dropped UMD to 1-2-0 on the year, was just the Bulldogs’ third in their last 10 matchups with No. 12 Mavericks (6-3-1).

The Bulldogs trailed 2-0 at the first intermission before sophomore center Dominic Toninato broke the ice with a his team-leading fourth goal of the year at 7:31 of the second period while UMD was killing off a five-minute checking-from-behind major penalty to sophomore left winger Kyle Osterberg. Minnesota State responded to Toninato’s third career shortie by striking 53 seconds later and again at 10:57 on that same power play. UMD then struck for two goals a couple minutes apart later in the period from sophomore defenseman Carson Soucy (the first of his collegiate career) and senior right winger Adam Krause, both coming off shots near the top of the right faceoff circle to close the gap to 4-3.

The Bulldog got the equalizer with 16:10 to go in the third when rookie right winger Karson Kuhlman redirected a shot by junior center Tony Cameranesi and wound up outshooting the Mavericks 13-4 in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Minnesota State connected on three of 10 power play opportuniites while UMD was 1-of-7 with the man advantage and 0-for-3 in the third period.

Junior goaltender Matt McNeely, who posted a 3-0 shutout win at then-No. 12 Notre Dame last Sunday in his 2014-15 debut, finished the night with 20 saves. His counterpart, Stephon Williams made 20 saves. UMD is now 1-4-8 in its last 13 overtime games.

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