GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- A record-tying performance by freshman T.J. Oshie (Warroad, Minn.) and a sensational penalty kill did the trick for the UND men's hockey team tonight.

Oshie counted his school record-tying eighth game-winning goal of the season among the two he scored as the Fighting Sioux (24-15-1 overall) beat Minnesota State (17-17-4) to even the best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff series at a game apiece.

Oshie's first of two goals came at 13:36 of the first period and just 56 seconds after another Sioux freshman, Jonathan Toews (Winnipeg) had scored at 12:40 to give the Sioux a 1-0 lead.

Oshie's goal 56 seconds later resembled a pool shot. His initial shot banked off the far post, hit the leg of Mankato forward Kevin Huck and slid past Maverick goalie Dan Tormey to give the Sioux a 2-0 lead and Oshie his 21st goal of the season.

It proved to game the game-winning goal, his eighth of the season. It ties the UND record of eight he now shares with Bryan Lundbohm (2000-01), Bob Joyce (1986-87) and Phil Sykes (1981-82) for most in a single season. It also gives Oshie sole possession of the national lead in game-winning goals.

Oshie's second goal of the game and his 22nd of the season came two minutes after the Sioux did a masterful job of killing a 5-on-3 MSU power play for a minute, 57 seconds when Toews and freshman defenseman Joe Finley (Edina, Minn.) drew minor penalties three seconds apart.

Sophomore Travis Zajac (Winnipeg) won a faceoff in the offensive zone and flipped a pass in front to Oshie, who tipped it past Tormey off his backhand at 5:39 of the second period for a 3-0 Sioux lead.

Kyle Peto's power-play goal for Minnesota State at 15:51 chopped UND's lead to 3-1 after two periods, but the Sioux answered with the only goal of the third period.

Zajac, who led the Sioux with a three-point game on a goal and two assists, wrapped up the scoring at 10:25 of the third period with his 13th goal of the season. On a Sioux power play, Zajac tipped a shot from freshman defenseman Brian Lee (Moorhead, Minn.) over a sprawling Tormey to close the scoring.

On Minnesota State's 5-on-3 power play, the Sioux limited the Mavericks to just three shots on goal with Sioux junior goalie Jordan Parise (Faribault) making two sterling saves to stave off the Mavericks among his 25 saves for the night.

That means the two teams meet again Sunday night at 7:07 p.m. at Ralph Engelstad for the deciding game of the first-round playoff series. The winner advances to the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul next weekend.

UND coach Dave Hakstol had to juggled three of his lines around after losing leading scorer Drew Stafford (Faribault, Minn.) in Friday's game with a lower body injury. Stafford did not play Saturday.

Despite Stafford's absence, the Sioux took control of this game early with some spirited play.

"No. 1, we knew we didn't come out of the dressing room Friday night the way we needed to,'' UND coach Dave Hakstol said. "We didn't match Mankato's intensity Friday. I thought we did that tonight.''

Facing elimination from the playoffs and putting themselves in an uncertain position for a possible NCAA tourney bid next week inspired the Sioux as well.

"Our backs are against the wall,'' Hakstol said. "All we did tonight was even things up. Tomorrow night, the winner moves on. It was a battle tonight, a war. We were fortunate to come out on the right end of it.''

Said Mankato coach Troy Jutting: "It was pretty simple tonight  -- they played better than we did.''

Oshie said he didn't feel the Sioux were ready to play at the start of Friday's game, which they lost 3-2 in overtime.

"I'm not quite sure, there could be a many reasons for it,'' Oshie said. "Maybe nerves, maybe satisfaction from last weekend, moving into fourth place in the WCHA. We put that behind us this morning. We knew we needed a win, or our season could possibly be over. For having such a great group of guys, we definitely didn't want to let that happen.''

Oshie credited Parise for making the key saves, especially on Minnesota State's 5-on-3 power play. "You know Jordan's history of coming around on the end of the year. Just like he's done all year, he's been standing on his head, and he did that again tonight.''