As quickly as Minnesota State built a lead on North Dakota, the Mavericks saw it crumble just as fast.
MSU scored 48 seconds into the game and again six minutes later, but down a goal midway through the third period, the Fighting Sioux rattled off three goals in a span of 2:47 to take the lead for good. UND won 4-3.
“I thought we played a good game with the exception of a seven-minute stretch in the third period,” MSU head coach Troy Jutting said. “We had chances to give ourselves a cushion and we didn’t do it.”
Matt Frattin tied the game at two when he sniped a shot from the left circle to the far corner of the goal past Cook’s gloveside at 7:40 of the third period. Just 11 seconds later, Evan Trupp scored to make it 3-2 North Dakota. Jake Marto scored again with 9:33 left put UND up two.
It was the fifth straight time the Sioux have beaten MSU, dating back to October 18, 2008.
The Mavericks scored first when Eriah Hayes tipped Channing Boe’s shot from the point in front of UND goaltender Aaron Dell and between his pads to put MSU on the board 48 seconds into the game. Kurt Davis fired a shot past Dell at the 7:47 mark of the first period with MSU on the power play.
But then the Mavericks took three penalties in the last five minutes of the first period, giving the Sioux a 5-on-3 opportunity it cashed in. Chay Genoway one-timed Corban Knight’s pass by MSU goalie Phil Cook from the high slot with 44 seconds left in the first period on a two-man advantage to cut the lead in half.
The Mavericks forced Dell to stop 20 shots in the second period, while Cook made nine saves. But despite plenty of great chances right around the goal, MSU couldn’t knock the puck in to expand on its lead.
“We had some real quality chances to open the game up and we didn’t do it,” Jutting said. “Against a team as good as North Dakota you have to capitalize on opportunities.”
J.P. Burkemper missed a golden opportunity to get the Mavericks some insurance three minutes into the third period but whiffed on a nice set-up from Ben Youds in the corner.
Minutes later, the Sioux scored three goals and took the home crowd out of the game until late in the third period when Youds banged home a loose puck in the crease with under four minutes to go with UND’s Andrew MacWilliam in the penalty box for tripping. The Mavericks had chance to score late but had trouble getting the puck out of the MSU zone to get Cook to the bench for the extra attacker.
With 5.8 left on the clock, UND won the faceoff to the left of Dell but the puck got kicked to Kurt Davis who was able to get shot off from a low angle. Dell made the save to win the game for UND.
“We were quite away from our best tonight but we got better as the game went on,” said UND coach Dave Hakstol. “We found a way to at least hang in there and give ourselves a chance going into the third period on a night when we lacked energy.”
The teams will meet again at 7:07 p.m. Saturday night at the Verizon Wireless Center.
