DULUTH, Minn. ? UND forward Drew Stafford (Jr., Faribault, Minn.) recorded his first career three-goal game to lead the Fighting Sioux men's hockey team to a 5-3 win over Minnesota Duluth on Friday.
Stafford's hat trick was the first by a Sioux player in 66 games ? since Erik Fabian did it on Feb. 21, 2004 at Minnesota State.
Stafford also picked up an assist as UND snapped a three-game losing streak and defeated Minnesota Duluth for the ninth time in the last 10 games.
The Sioux are now 6-4-1 overall on the season and 2-3-0 in the WCHA. UMD fell to 2-5-2 overall and 2-1-2 in the WCHA.
Stafford gave the Sioux a 1-0 just 58 seconds into the game with his fifth goal of the season, firing a shot from near the right boards that found its way past Bulldogs' goalie Isaac Reichmuth. Travis Zajac (So., Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Matt Smaby (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) picked up assists on the goal.
It didn't take long for UND to add to the lead, as Sioux freshman Ryan Duncan (Calgary, Alberta) made it 2-0 at 2:14 with a high wrist shot that beat Reichmuth glove side. Two Sioux ? forward Rylan Kaip (So., Wilcox, Saskatchewan) and defenseman Joe Finley (Fr., Edina, Minn.) picked up their first assists of the season on the goal.
Minnesota Duluth made it 2-1 on Tim Stapleton's third goal of the season at 11:01 of the second period. Stapleton fired a high shot from inside the blue line that caught the upper corner of the net over UND goalie Jordan Parise's (Jr., Faribault, Minn.) left shoulder.
Stafford's second goal of the game came at 16:24 of the second period with the Sioux on the power play. After Duncan won a faceoff in the Bulldogs' end, Stafford fired a wrist shot through traffic that found the net.
Stafford completed his hat trick 8:14 into the third period, lifting a backhand shot over Reichmuth that gave the Sioux a 4-1 lead.
The three-goal lead lasted less than 90 seconds, however, as Bulldogs' freshman Mason Raymond scored at 9:42 of the third while UMD was on a 5-on-3 power play.
With the Bulldogs on another power play late in the game, UMD pulled Reichmuth for a sixth skater, and Justin Williams scored to make it 4-3 with 1:31 left.
The Sioux scored their fifth goal in the game's final seconds. With the Duluth net empty, Sioux forward T.J. Oshie (Fr., Warroad, Minn.) fired a shot toward the empty goal. Stafford raced after the puck and was dragged down from behind by UMD defenseman Matt Niskanen. Although Stafford never touched the puck, which did not go in, Oshie was awarded a goal on the play.
The Sioux outshot the Bulldogs, 31-29. Parise made 26 saves and raised his season record to 5-2-1.
The teams will conclude their series with a 7:07 p.m. game on Saturday.
NOTES: Duncan had a goal and two assists, while Zajac had two assists in the game.
