GRAND FORKS, N.D.<\/b> — Just 38 seconds away from its first five-win October since 1986, North Dakota gave up a late goal to a hungry Providence team.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Despite a tough fight against a tenacious North Dakota lineup, Providence struggled to get pucks in the net.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
North Dakota was disappointed without its sweep, but collected learning points as a team.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The teams skated through overtime, but neither team could claim a victory as the final buzzer sounded.<\/p>\n
“Fun. Exciting. Playoff hockey,” McIntyre said. “Two big giants going at it in college hockey. It was a good series.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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