GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Just 38 seconds away from its first five-win October since 1986, North Dakota gave up a late goal to a hungry Providence team.
Instead, UND (4-1-1, 2-0-0 NCHC) was forced to settle with a 2-2 tie and series split with the Friars (1-2-1, 0-0-0 HEA) on Saturday night in front of 11,676 at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
“It was a battle,” UND coach Dave Hakstol said. “It was a good, hard hockey game and maybe fittingly, it ends up in a tie.”
Despite a tough fight against a tenacious North Dakota lineup, Providence struggled to get pucks in the net.
The teams drew eight penalties in the opening frame, each team getting four chances, but it was Providence that tallied the lone power-play goal in the first period against a team that went a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty kill in Game 1 of the series.
Luke Johnson and Nick Saracino each registered goals in the first period. Austin Poganski put North Dakota up 2-1 in the second until Saracino tallied his second of the night with a tip on a Jake Walman point shot to equalize the teams in the third.
“I was a little disappointed we didn’t win the game,” Providence coach Nate Leaman said. “I was proud of the guys trying to win the game in the third and in overtime. I thought it was a really good college hockey game. I think they have a really good team. I think their defensemen are extremely tough to handle from an offensive standpoint and I really like how our penalty kill played tonight.”
North Dakota was disappointed without its sweep, but collected learning points as a team.
“It’s tough to give up a late goal,” Hakstol said. “You want a little bit better when you have a one goal lead. Not just the goal, but the last couple minutes – there’s some areas that we need to improve upon a little bit as a team. You also have to turn around and look at the positives. We got a win against a really good team this weekend. Our team competed hard. We improved a little bit this weekend.
Johnson put UND on the board in the first period at 13:16 as he found a rebound in a scramble in front of the net and snuck it past Jon Gillies (24 saves) through traffic.
Niko Rufo attempted to respond, but Zane McIntyre (31 saves) quickly slid across the crease and made a high glove save to keep North Dakota’s lead alive.
“Goals were tough to come by this weekend because McIntyre, he’s a good goaltender,” Leamon said. “I thought he came up big and we could have easily gotten frustrated, but I was proud of the guys for sticking with it and staying on it and then coming up with some big penalty kills in the third.”
Providence was able to capitalize on a 5-on-3 advantage as Anthony Florentino launched a shot from the point that bounced off the end wall for a chip in the net by Saracino at 18:00 of the opening frame.
UND put the pressure on early in the second period and secured a lead at 8:15 as Bryn Chyzyk picked up the puck at center ice and drove hard toward the net. He left the puck in the crease for Poganski to tally his first collegiate goal.
The seconds ticked down in the third period, and Providence pulled Gilies for the extra attacker on the ice. Walman fired a shot from the point and Saracino tipped in the puck for the tying goal and his second of the evening.
The teams skated through overtime, but neither team could claim a victory as the final buzzer sounded.
“Fun. Exciting. Playoff hockey,” McIntyre said. “Two big giants going at it in college hockey. It was a good series.”
