UMD Sweeps Gophers

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

The University of Minnesota Duluth feels it has one of the top netminders in the country in sophomore Kasimir Kaskisuo. The University of Minnesota didn’t need any convincing Saturday night.

Kaskisuo stopped all 21 shots the No. 15 Gophers sent his way, kept the Gophers in check on all seven of their power play opportunities and sparked the No. 7 Bulldogs to a 3-1 victory in front of the largest crowd (7,569) in AMSOIL Arena. With the triumph, the  Bulldogs (2-1-0) swepted  the home-and-home series and ran its winning streak over Minnesota to a program-best six games.

Junior center Dominic Toninato gave the Bulldogs all the scoring they would need at 5:25 of the first period when his wrist shot from the left circle whistled over the shoulder of Gopher goaltender Eric Schierhorn. It was Toninato’s second of the year and second in as many nights.

Seven minutes later, freshman Karson Kuhlman added some insurance by tipping in junior defenseman Carson Soucy‘s shot before sophomore center Jared Thomas, who scored once in UMD’s 3-1 takedown of the Gophers Friday in Minneapolis, made it a 3-0 on UMD’s first shot of attempt of the second period.

Thomas came out of the penalty box, took a long pass from junior left winger Kyle Osterberg near center ice, broke in alone, deked Schierhorn and backhanded the puck into an empty net.

For the second time in as many night, eight different Bulldogs finished with one point each. Kuhlman and senior left winger Austin Farley were both a team-high +2 while Kuhlman had four of UMD’s 33 shots.

Kaskisuo’s shutout was the second of his career, both of which have come at Minnesota’s expense (a Bulldog first).

“This is a big weekend that everyone has been waiting for,” said Kasiskuo, who is now 5-1-0 with a 1.19 goals against average and a eye-popping .950 saves percentage in six lifetime starts against Minnesota. “It was really special to be a part of this.”

UMD will hit the road for a pair of non-conference clashes with the University of Notre next Friday and Saturday night.

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