GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- UND forward Rylan Kaip (Jr., Radville, Saskatchewan) scored late in the second period to break a 1-1 tie, and the Fighting Sioux men's hockey team held off Minnesota State in the third to win 2-1 and earn its fifth consecutive trip to the WCHA Final Five.
After a scoreless first period, North Dakota had a 4-on-3 power play when forward Ryan Duncan (So., Calgary, Alberta) scored a power play goal with a wrist shot at 12:45 to give UND a 1-0 lead. It was Duncan's 29th goal of the season, with 16 of those coming on the power play. Duncan is one power play goal away from tying the school single-season record of 17 power play goals set by Doug Smail in 1979-80.
MSU tied it just under three minutes later (at 15:43) while the teams each had a man in the penalty box. Mavericks' center Zach Harrison won a faceoff in the left circle back to Brian Kilburg at the left point, and Kilburg fired a shot that Joel Hanson deflected in from the slot.
That set the stage for Kaip's heroics.
UND forward Andrew Kozek (So., Sicamous, B.C.) got control of the puck in his own zone and hit Erik Fabian (Sr., Roseau, Minn.) with a pass at center ice. Fabian skated to the right circle and slid a pass to Kaip who was skating down the slot ahead of a Mavericks' defender. Kaip, a right-handed shooter, took the pass with his backhand, went to his forehand and beat MSU goalie Dan Tormey up high over the left shoulder.
It was Kaip's fourth goal of the season.
The third period was scoreless, as UND became the first WCHA team to earn a spot in the league's Final Five next weekend at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., where the Sioux will get a chance to defend the Broadmoor Trophy they won last season. Wisconsin beat Denver 2-1 later Saturday and became the second team to claim a spot in the Final Five. The other three league playoff series will all go to a third game on Sunday.
The Sioux extended their unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) while improving to 21-12-5 overall. Minnesota State ended its season with a 13-19-6 mark.
UND outshot the Mavericks 27-24. Sioux goalie Philippe Lamoureux (Jr., Grand Forks, N.D.) played another outstanding game in net, making 23 saves.
Lamoureux made his 20th consecutive start, most by a UND goalie since Peter Waselovich started 32 games in a row to start the 1973-74 season.
UND was 1-of-5 on the power play, while MSU was 0-of-6.
