GOTW: Minnesota State rallies from two down to earn 4-4 tie with North Dakota

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(David Faulkner - SPX SPORTS)
Minnesota State twice trailed by two goals but goals by Nathan Smith (above) and Connor Mackey helped earn the Mavericks a 4-4 tie with North Dakota (Photo: David Faulkner/SPX SPORTS)

No. 2 Minnesota State, boasting the best home record in the last two years nearly suffered a home defeat at the hands of No. 16 North Dakota. But a second period goal from Nathan Smith and a Connor Mackey tally with 13:45 remaining helped the Mavericks earn a 4-4 tie in the opener of a two-game series with the Fighting Hawks.

After the two teams traded first period goals, North Dakota appeared ready to seize control early in the second. Harrison Blaisdell and Jackson Keane tallied twice in a span 2 minute, 28 second span early in the second.

 

Even after the host Mavericks responded with a Edwin Hookenson goal at 5:18 of the middle frame, the Fighting Hawks regained the two-goal lead at 13:37 of the second on a Dixon Bowen marker.

That left Smith, who had a response just 78 second later and Mackey to work their magic to leave Verizon Wireless Center with the draw.

Dryden McKay made 23 stops for Minnesota State while Adam Scheel was equally strong making 20 stops.

Northern Michigan 4, No. 20 Boston University 4

In probably the most dramatic of the games on Friday, Northern Michigan rallied from three goals down in the third period to earn a 4-4 tie at No. 20 Boston University.

Vincent De May, Caleb Schorer and Darien Craighead all tallied in a span of less than 12 minutes in the third to force overtime where the game ended in a draw.

The Wildcats got tremendous goaltending from John Hawthorne who finished the game with 35 saves.

Northern Michigan opened the scoring on a Joseph Nardi tally at 7:39 of the first. But before the opening 20 was over, BU struck three times. Patrick Harper, David Farrance and Logan Cockerill all potted goal in the first and Patrick Curry’s tally, the only of the middle frame, made it seem like victory was certain for the host Terriers.

No. 1 Denver 3, No. 6 Boston College 0

The nation’s newly-crowned number one, Denver, proved its worth on Friday, shutting out No. 6 Boston College, 3-0, in its home opener.

Magnus Chrona made 23 saves to earn the shutout for the Pioneers.

The only goal to beat either goaltender was Cole Guttman’s shot at 3:21 of the middle stanza. That came during a five-minute major for cross-checking assessed to Boston College’s Luke McInnis. He was ejected from the game.

Denver scored twice in the empty net with Tyler McLellan and Brett Stapley picking up the insurance tallies late in the third.

No. 17 Wisconsin 6, No. 3 Minnesota Duluth 2

Wisconsin rookie Cole Caufiled registered his third-straight two-goal game to begin his collegiate career as the Badgers knocked off the defending national champions from Minnesota Duluth, 6-2, in the opener of the two-game series.

Caufield was one of four Badgers to register multi-point games. Owen Lindmark matched Caufield with two goals of his own.

The Bulldogs high-flying defenseman Scott Perunovich wasn’t on the ice for long, ejected from the game at the 2:32 mark of the opening period. A scuffle after the whistle resulted in two minor penalties to the Badgers, but Perunovich was ejected for a major face masking penalty. Hunter Lellig suffered the same fate late in the frame when he was assessed a major and game misconduct for checking from behind.

Alaska 4, No. 9 Penn State 0

Justin Young scored twice and Anton Martinsson stopped all 35 shots he faced as the Nanooks blanked host Penn State, 4-0.

Penalties played a role in the game, not so much in power play goals as neither team scored in a combined 11 opportunities, but in the flow. Penn State, while trailing 2-0, couldn’t capitalize on a major power play and then, trying to play catch up took five of the game’s final seven penalties making any sort of a comeback nearly impossible.

Penn State posted a shutout in the series opener between the two clubs, 7-0, on Thursday.

Colgate 4, No. 18 UMass Lowell 3 (OT)

Despite a fast start, No 18 UMass Lowell feel behind in the first period and tried playing catchup all night before falling in overtime, 4-3, to Colgate giving the Raiders their first win of the young season.

Kenny Hausinger scored the equalizer on the power play with 7:18 remaining in regulation. But just seconds into overtime – nine to be exact – Ben Sharf’s shot from a bad angle beat River Hawks net minder Logan Neaton over the left shoulder to set off the celebration for Colgate.

Trevor Cosgrove notched a goal and assist for the Raiders while rookie Matt Brown posted a goal and two assists for the River Hawks.

 

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