GRAND FORKS, N.D.--Freshman forward Drew Stafford scored his first goal as a Fighting Sioux with 3:43 left in the game to break a 2-2 tie and give UND a 3-2 win over Minnesota-Duluth before 10,399 fans at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Stafford, a winger from Faribault, Minn., took a centering pass from Quinn Fylling (Jr., Minot, N.D.) from behind the UMD net and one-timed the winner past Bulldogs' goalie Isaac Reichmuth.

UND had rallied to tie the game 10 minutes earlier when Brandon Bochenski (Jr., Blaine, Minn.) took a goal-mouth pass from Zach Parise (So., Faribault, Minn.) and slid it past Reichmuth, knotting the game at 2-2 at 6:33 of the final frame.

Bochenski's goal came minutes after the Bulldogs had taken the lead on Junior Lessard's first goal of the season. Lessard took a pass from Ryan Geris in the high slot and blasted a slap shot past UND goalie Jordan Parise (Fr., Faribault, Minn.) at 4:15 of the period.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring just 4:56 into the first period when Tim Stapleton streaked down the left side of the ice and beat Parise to the short side for a shorthanded tally. UND managed to pull even at 12:41 of the opening period as Colby Genoway (Jr., Morden, Man.) skated behind the UMD net and threaded a pass to defenseman Nick Fuher (Jr., Grand Forks, N.D.), whose low, soft shot eluded Reichmuth.

The two teams played a scoreless second period, setting the stage for the third-period fireworks.

Jordan Parise, making his first collegiate start, stopped 20 of 22 UMD shots to earn the victory. Reichmuth made 31 saves in a losing effort.

The Fighting Sioux return to action Oct. 11 in an exhibition game against Concordia (Montreal) at Engelstad Arena, then Oct. 17-18 when Boston College comes to town.

Notes: UND's Mike Prpich (So., Kenaston, Sask.) and UMD's Marco Peluso were both ejected in the second period for fighting. Each received a five-minute major and a game disqualification.