GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Maybe it can be blamed in part on the turkey hangover from Thanksgiving a day earlier that contributed to a hazy, choppy National Collegiate Hockey Conference overtime 2-2 tie between North Dakota and Omaha tonight.

In a game that officially goes into the books as a tie for both teams, the Mavericks gained the extra point in the NCHC standings by winning the 3-person shootout 1-0 when Dominic Zombo scored on backhander as the last of six shooters, three on each side.

"It was a hard-fought game in a lot of areas,'' UND coach Dave Hakstol said. ''There were some periods when we got back on our heels a little bit and didn't have a lot of energy. Overall, not a ton of up-and-down flow. We didn't have a ton of energy tonight.''

In the shootout for the two points for the shootout winner, Michael Parks, Drake Caggiula and Mark MacMillan for UND were all stopped by Omaha goalie Ryan Massa (24 saves).

UND goalie Zane McIntyre (28 saves) stopped Austin Ortega and Jake Guentzel before Zombo, son of former UND defenseman Rick Zombo, beat McIntyre with a deke to his backhand. It was the first shootout in the history of Ralph Engelstad Arena and the first for UND since it beat host Alaska-Anchorage in a shootout in the Kendall Classic in 2010.

Freshman right wing Nick Schmaltz set up the scoreless 5-minute overtime and the following shootout when he one-timed a centering pass from sophomore center Luke Johnson at 3:00 of the third period to knot the game at 2-2.

For Schmaltz, who missed the last four games with an injury, it was his second goal of the season and first since the season opener on Oct. 10 against Bemidji State.

Johnson won a battle for the puck behind the net from Omaha captain Brian O'Rourke to feed Schmaltz for the tying goal.

Earlier, defenseman Gage Ausmus has his shot go off Massa at 7:43 of the second period to put UND on top 1-0 for the second goal of the season for Ausmus. But just 29 seconds later, freshman Tyler Vassel scored his third of the year from the slot on a feed from Jake Randolph to make it 1-1.

Omaha's Justin Parizek's wrister from the right wall deflected off the body of UND defenseman Paul LaDue at 17:16 of the second period, giving Omaha its first lead. But Schmaltz matched that early in the third period to force OT and then a rare shootout.

Omaha earns two NCHC points for the shootout win, North Dakota gets a single point. As home team, UND had the choice to shoot first or last in the shootout. UND chose to shoot first.

"We wanted to score first,'' Hakstol said. "We didn't do that. They scored last.''

Officially, though, it goes down as a tie for NCAA records.

"We didn't come here for a tie,'' Hakstol said. ''We want to play a little bit better tomorrow and work for a little better result.''

Schmaltz, out of the lineup the last four games with his upper body injury, contributed immediately.

''It always takes a little to get back into it,'' Schmaltz said. "A little rusty, but as the game went on, I got better.''

Limitations from the injury?

"No. I'm fine,'' he replied.

While official records show the game as a tie, it didn't feel that way to Ausmus after Omaha won the shootout.

"It definitely feels like a loss,'' Ausmus said. ''We're definitely not satisfied with that. It's tough.''

North Dakota, ranked No. 2 in two national polls, is 9-3-2 overall and 4-2-1-0 in the NCHC. Omaha, ranked 11/13 in two national polls, moved to 7-2-2 overall and 3-1-1-1.

The teams meet again at 7:07 tonight.

Game notes: Attendance at REA was 11,215 ... UND won the faceoff battle 42-22 led by Connor Gaarder (10-2) and Johnny Simonson (9-4 ... No Omaha player had a winning mark on faceoffs ... Both teams were 0-3 on the power play ... Ortega and Parizek led the Mavs in shots on goal with four each, while Stephane Pattyn led UND with three ... UND was without injured forwards Bryn Chyzyk and Brendan O'Donnell, who both remain out indefinitely.

Virg Foss covered UND hockey for 35 seasons for the Grand Forks Herald until his retirement in 2005. He's now in his 10th season of reporting on UND games exclusively for UNDsports.com.