MANKATO, Minn.?The Fighting Sioux overcame 12 Minnesota State power plays ? while enjoying just five of their own ? and Brady Murray and Quinn Fylling scored two goals apiece as UND defeated the Mavericks 6-3 in front of 4,329 fans at the Midwest Wireless Civic Center.
In all, the Sioux were whistled for 15 penalties totaling 30 minutes, compared to nine penalties for 18 minutes handed out to the Mavericks. MSU enjoyed seven man advantages in the first period alone and scored on two of them to counter first period goals by UND's Chris Porter and Fylling.
After battling the Mavericks to a 2-2 tie through the first 20 minutes, UND's penalty killing units stifled the MSU power play the rest of the way and held the Mavericks to just one more goal.
UND goalie Jake Brandt was solid through the final two periods, making 25 of his 34 saves during the game's final 40 minutes.
Junior Rory McMahon gave the Sioux the lead for good when he picked up his eighth goal of the season 2:02 into the second period, snapping a personal nine-game goal-scoring drought.
Murray picked up his first goal of the night 6:39 later while on the power-play, as defenseman Matt Jones through a pass toward the front of the net that was tipped by Brandon Bochenski directly to Murray on the door step, and put the puck into the yawning net. That goal would hold up as the game-winning.
Fylling capped UND's three-goal period with his second of the night midway through the middle frame, converting a centering pass from Matt Smaby, who had lugged the puck behind the MSU net before finding Fylling in the slot. The goal put UND ahead 5-2 and chased Mavericks' starter Jon Volp from the nets in favor of Chris Clark.
Murray gave the Sioux added insurance just 3:59 into the final period, capitalizing on an MSU turnover just inside the Mavericks' blueline. Zach Parise corralled the puck and found Murray on a 2-on-1 and he beat Clark for his 15th goal of the season.
MSU's Dana Sorensen pulled the Mavericks to within 6-3 with just over 13 minutes to play, but they would come no closer.
UND's special teams proved to be the difference as the Sioux killed 10 of 12 MSU power plays while going 2-for-5 with the power play. Brandt finished with 34 saves, including nine while the Sioux were shorthanded.
UND improves to 21-6-3 overall and 15-5-3 in the WCHA and remains two points behind first-place Minnesota-Duluth, which defeated Colorado College 5-2 in Colorado Springs tonight.
The Sioux and Mavericks wrap up their two-game set Saturday night with a 7:35 start time.
Notes: Freshman forward Brady Murray was credited with the game-winner, his sixth of the season. That ties Troy Murray's school record for GWG by a freshman, which he set in 1980-81 ... UND allowed a season-high 37 shots tonight, including 11 while shorthanded. UND's previous season-high for shots allowed was 34 by Minnesota back on Nov. 7 in Grand Forks ... The win was UND's first in Mankato since Nov. 16, 2001, when the Sioux defeated the Mavs by the same 6-3 score ... The win is also UND's first on the road since Jan. 23 at Minnesota, snapping an 0-3 skid away from home.
