DULUTH, Minn. – Sophomore forward Jason Gregoire scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner and an empty net tally, to lift the third-ranked Fighting Sioux to a 4-2 WCHA victory over host No. 12 Minnesota Duluth tonight at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
The victory moved UND (9-4-2, 6-4-1 WCHA) into a tie with UMD (9-5-1, 6-4-1 WCHA) for third place in the WCHA with 13 points and ended a three-game conference losing skid for the Sioux. Wisconsin, which defeated Michigan Tech tonight, also has 13 points.
Gregoire's first goal proved to be the game-winner and capped a three-goal second period for the Sioux that tipped the game in their favor. Sophomore forward Brett Hextall (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) centered a pass from behind the net to Gregoire and the Winnipeg, Manitoba, native beat UMD goalie Kenny Reiter to the short side to give the Sioux a 3-1 lead with 1:04 remaining in the period.
Senior forward Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and sophomore defenseman Ben Blood (Plymouth, Minn.) also scored for UND during the pivotal second period and both were strange goals.
With UND trailing to start the second frame, Reiter attempted to play the puck behind his own net but gave it right to Zajac at the bottom of the right faceoff circle and the Sioux assistant captain found the gaping net from a difficult angle, tying the game 1-1 at 4:44.
Just under 10 minutes later, with Reiter down on the ice, Blood threw the puck at the net from the top of the right circle and it squeaked under Reiter and just barely crossed the goal line to put UND on top with 6:27 left in the period.
UND held a 16-5 edge in shots on goal during the second period.
"There were a lot of momentum changes in the hockey game," said UND head coach Dave Hakstol. "I thought we had good momentum for a good part of the second. They certainly had good momentum for good parts of the third.
"I just thought it was a good hockey game."
The Sioux were able to withstand an early third-period barrage by the Bulldogs, with Kyle Schmidt's goal 3:53 into the period accounting for the only UMD goal despite a 16-7 shots advantage in the period.
Sioux sophomore goalie Brad Eidsness (Chestermere, Alberta) slammed the door the rest of the way, his best stop coming with just under three minutes remaining on a Mike Montgomery scoring chance.
"We knew the kitchen sink was probably coming at us in the third period and it did," said Hakstol. "They played hard, played well and scored a goal right after a power-play. From there, just entertaining hockey."
Gregoire then sealed the game with his empty netter at 19:09, stealing the puck inside the Bulldog blueline and burying it in the middle of the open cage.
"Last weekend Gregoire and Hextall played their best hockey of the year," said Hakstol. "So to see them carry that on tonight, it's important for our team. It's a good sign for us."
Eidsness finished with 29 saves for the Sioux while Reiter countered with 32.
UND shut down UMD's potent power-play, killing all four Bulldog man advantages. The Sioux went 1-for-6 on the power-play.
The two teams will do battle again tomorrow night at 7:07 p.m. at the DECC.
Notes: UND is now 16-1-2 all-time when Zajac scores ... Gregoire extended his point streak to four games ... Eidsness made 15 saves in the second period alone ... The announced attendance was 5,057.
– Go Sioux –
