MINNEAPOLIS--Minnesota scored three goals in the final 5:09 of the second period, including a pair of goals seven seconds apart, en route to a 5-1 win over the fourth-ranked Fighting Sioux tonight in front of the second-largest crowd in Mariucci Arena history.
The victory over the Sioux pulls Minnesota to within three points of UND and sixth place in the WCHA standings. The Sioux travel to Cornell next weekend in non-conference action.
The three-goal outburst late in the second period ultimately decided the game. UND had carried much of the play through the game's first 35 minutes but were unable to crack Minnesota goalie Alex Kangas despite several quality scoring chances.
Minnesota opened the scoring late in the first period, as Nico Sacchetti entered the Sioux zone on a 3-on-2 and ripped a shot off the cross bar and Josh Birkholz batted the rebound out of mid-air for a 1-0 lead at 18:11.
UND held a territorial edge for most of the second period until Gopher freshman Zach Budish made it 2-0 on a strange play at the 14:51 mark. With a faceoff to the left of UND goalie Brad Eidsness (So., Chestermere, Alberta), Budish and Sioux defenseman Derrick LaPoint (Eau Claire, Wis.) simultaneously swiped at a loose puck, sending it straight up in the air and over top of Eidsness.
Then the Gophers put the game away with a pair of goals seven seconds apart, the fastest two goals ever scored by Minnesota.
Minnesota senior forward Tony Lucia struck first, creating a turnover at the Sioux blueline and outracing UND defenseman Joe Gleason (Fr., Edina, Minn.) on a partial breakaway before beating Eidsness high to the blocker side. Suddenly, a 1-0 game became a 3-0 Gopher edge with 1:54 left in the second period.
Then off the ensuing faceoff, UND defenseman Ben Blood (So., Plymouth, Minn.) lost his footing trying to play the puck at his own blueline, creating a 2-on-1 in the Sioux zone. Jordan Schroeder slid a cross-ice pass to Jacob Cepis, and Cepis one-timed it past a helpless Eidsness for his second goal in as many nights.
The Gophers, enjoying a 5-on-3 power-play to start the third period, pushed the lead to 5-0 when Mike Hoeffel snuck a turnaround shot past Eidsness from the left circle, squeezing the puck between the post and Eidsness' stick at the 55-second mark.
UND finally solved Kangas and ended his shutout bid midway through the third period after a strong forecheck. Gleason threw the puck from the blueline to the slot and Schroeder misplayed it, allowing senior forward Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) time to gain possession and beat Kangas with a wrist shot for his fifth goal of the season.
Kangas was spectacular in making 34 saves on the night, including 25 over the last two periods.
Eidsness made 18 saves in suffering his first loss in six games.
UND went scoreless on the power-play for the second straight night, going 0-for-6. The Gophers went 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
The Sioux, 12-7-5 overall and 8-7-3 in the WCHA, now prepare for their final non-conference series next weekend against the nationally-ranked Big Red.
~Go Sioux~
