After dropping two previous games earlier in the season in 5-1 fashion to No. 20 Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State finally had one go in their favor.
The Huskies used two third period goals, including the game-winner from sophomore forward Tony Mosey to edge the Bulldogs 3-1 in St. Cloud Friday night.
UMD took little time getting on the scoreboard, as freshman forward Mike Connolly scored an even-strength goal at the four-minute mark of the first with an assist by sophomore right-winger Justin Fontaine.
Just as St. Cloud had numerous scoring chances go unheard over the next seven minutes, Duluth senior captain Matt Greer was called for an interference penalty at the 11:19 mark of the first, setting the Huskies up on a power play.
After throwing an assault of shots on Bulldogs’ junior netminder Alex Stalock, the Huskies found the back of the net at the 12:36 mark of the first for the equalizer. SCSU junior forward Ryan Lasch notched the game at one after collecting a rebound off a shot from the left point and backhanding a shot of his own over Stalock’s glove hand.
After the first period, the Huskies had out-shot UMD 15-8. Both teams were held scoreless in the second, as neither squad was able to find a rhythm.
The Huskies broke the tie early in the third at the 2:33 mark when Mosey found himself coming onto the ice after a change. Senior defender Brett Borgen found Barta, who then threw an end-to-end pass to Mosey on the right wing. Mosey got past the UMD defender and fired a rifle from the top of the right circle, beating Stalock five-hole.
“I came off the bench and just noticed that we had control, so I figured I might as well try to get a breakaway and sure enough it worked out,” Mosey said with a smile. “Barta made a great pass, and I actually thought I didn’t have that much time, that’s why I shot kind of early, but I guess it worked out.”
The Huskies added their third goal of the game some twelve minutes later when freshman defender Sam Zabkowicz and sophomore forward Aaron Marvin found sophomore Brian Volpei for a tap-in on top of the UMD crease.
“Marvin made a great play out of the corner,” SCSU head coach Bob Motzko said. “That helped give us some breathing room.”
Both goalies played exceptionally well in the contest, but it was Huskies’ junior goaltender Jase Weslosky who stood on his head in the third period, stopping all fourteen Duluth.
“That’s what happens when you’re lanky I guess,” Weslosky joked. “You have to roll around and stuff hits you; it was good, we kind of got scrambling around and I was lucky enough for some of those to make their way into and off of me. It was a good third period for us and a good end to a tough win.”
The Huskies (11-9-1, 6-7 WCHA) and the Bulldogs (9-6-6, 5-5-5 WCHA) will do battle again Saturday night at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud as the Huskies will look for the sweep. Game time is scheduled for 7:07 CT.
