Lady Dogs tie North Dakota

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

WIth six overtime games between them in the last 11 games, including one in every series the two progams have played since 2012, it was no surprise the No. 6 University of Minnesota Duluth and the University of North Dakota needed more than 60 minutes to resolve their differences Saturday night at AMSOIL Arena.

The Bulldogs officially earned a 2-2 tie with UND and an all important Western Collegiate Hockey Association point before North Dakota pulled out the 2-1 shootout win.  UMD now has 41 points in league play and a three point lead over UND, which remains in fourth place behind the Bulldogs with 38 points.

UMD took the game’s first lead with 55 seconds remaining in the opening period on sophomore winger Ashleigh Brykaliuk‘s 14th goal of the season.  Brykaliuk’s shot beat Shelby Amsley-Benzie five-hole, a result of Lara Stalder‘s pass to Brykaliuk from behind the UND net.

North Dakota found the equalizer on the Bulldogs first power play of the game, an unassisted shorthanded goal at 5:27 of the second period from Becca Kohler.  Kohler’s score was followed up by a power play goal for UND by Leah Jensen at the 10:46 mark, despite UMD netminder Kayla Black getting a decent piece of Jensen’s shot.

Facing a 2-1 deficit to open the third period, the Bulldogs found a way to knot the game 10:45 into the stanza.  Senior winger Zoe Hickel, who had the second assist on UMD’s earlier goal, redirected a shot from Stalder in the slot to draw the game even at 2-2.  Hickel’s team-leading 16th goal of the year was also assisted by sophomore winger Michela Cava.  UMD pushed the pace after Hickel’s goal, painting a pipe less than a minute later, but despite the offensive flurry and 11 shot third period by the Bulldogs, overtime beckoned.

Five extra minutes of action didn’t clear up the stalemate between the two squads, who each landed two shots on goal over that span.  Overall, North Dakota outshot the Bulldogs 34-27, but UMD was equal in shots in the second, third and overtime periods.  Black made 32 saves for the Bulldogs, while Amsley Benzie turned away 25.  Both each also recorded a save in the shootout.  UMD was 0-of-5 on its power play, while North Dakota went 1-of-5.

UMD hits the road for the next two weekends, with its first stop Madison, Wisconsin to take on the No. 3 University of Wisconsin next Friday and Saturday.  Friday’s contest is scheduled for a 7:07 p.m. start.