HOUGHTON, Mich. - For the first 58 minutes of tonight's WCHA game, it appeared a one-goal decision was all but assured, regardless of who came out on top. But as North Dakota scratched and clawed its way to a 2-1 third period lead over Michigan Tech, what had been a nail-biter turned into a three-goal win in a matter of less than half a minute.
UND forwards Evan Trupp (Jr., Anchorage, Alaska) and Jason Gregoire (So., Winnipeg, Manitoba) scored 21 seconds apart in the final two minutes of regulation to give the third-ranked Fighting Sioux a well-earned 4-1 win over the host Huskies tonight at MacInnes Arena.
With the victory, the Sioux improved to 6-1-1 overall and 4-1-1 in conference play. It also secured UND's first road sweep of the season.
Trupp's goal, his second of the game and third of the weekend, was a spectacular and decisive blow that punctuated a series sweep for the Sioux. UND's Brad Malone (Jr., Miramichi, New Brunswick) lofted the puck from inside his own blueline and sprung David Toews (So., Winnipeg, Manitoba) on a partial breakaway. Toews outmuscled a pair of MTU defenders to get off a shot that was stopped by goaltender Kevin Genoe. Trupp, who was trailing the play, dove fully extended and swiped the rebound under Glenoe to give the Sioux a 3-1 lead and some much-needed breathing room.
UND sealed the game just 21 seconds later when defenseman Chay Genoway (Sr., Morden, Manitoba) sent a shot into the chest of Genoe. Genoe thought he had control of the puck, but it squirted loose in the goal mouth and Gregoire was on the doorstep to tap home his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
The Sioux outshot the Huskies 14-5 in the third period, 26-12 over the final two frames and 35-23 for the game.
"We got better throughout the game," said UND head coach Dave Hakstol. "The second period was good, we got the 2-1 lead and I thought our third (period) was very good. I'm very happy with the way we played in the third period."
UND goalie Brad Eidsness (So., Chestermere, Alberta) turned in another solid performance, kicking aside 22 of 23 Michigan Tech shots. Eidsness' biggest stop came with just over four minutes remaining with the Sioux still clinging to their 2-1 lead. MTU's Deron Cousens sent a point shot to the net that was re-directed at the last second, but Eidsness was able to shoot out his right skate and keep the lead intact.
The Huskies were able to beat Eidsness just once on this night, a Jordan Baker power-play goal 8:07 into the first period.
UND responded by scoring four unanswered goals, ignited by a Toews just 100 seconds after Baker had opened the scoring. Toews wired a shot off the crossbar and the puck ricocheted right back onto his stick. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native made no mistake on his second attempt, potting his second goal of the season. He finished with two points on the night.
"I thought he (Toews) was one of our better players," said Hakstol, "and I thought he was our most effective player offensively. I thought he was a factor almost every shift."
Toews' goal sent the two teams into the first intermission tied at 1-1.
Trupp gave the Sioux the lead for good with his first goal of the game and the eventual game-winner at 12:54 of the second period. Stationed in the corner below the MTU goal line while on the power-play, Trupp fired a centering pass that bounced off Husky defenseman John Kivisto and past Genoe.
The Sioux went 1-for-6 on the power-play, finishing 4-for-13 on the weekend. UND also killed six of seven Husky power-plays.
UND, which temporarily moved into a first-place tie with Denver in the WCHA pending the Pioneers' game later tonight at Alaska Anchorage, returns home next weekend to host St. Cloud State at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Notes: Senior forward Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) had his career-best five-game point streak come to an end ... Malone notched a pair of assists ... The announced attendance was 1,977.
- Go Sioux -
