MANKATO, Minn.-- Second-ranked Minnesota State escaped with a 2-1 win over No. 16 North Dakota Saturday evening at Mankato Civic Center. 

"I thought we came out hard in the first and did the things we wanted to," UND head coach Brad Berry said. "We got into a four-on-four and they scored one on it and got some momentum and I thought our level dropped just a little bit and we got it back there in the third, especially in the second half of the third period. There wasn't a lot of time and space and they just made one more play than we did. We've got to make sure we're doing the things we have to do to get those opportunities. I thought we learned a lot about our team-- that's a high level. That's a level that we're going to have to get to each and every night."

It was scoreless midway through that first period until Jacob Bernard-Docker wound up for a blast from the blueline and after the initial stop, the puck found its way to Dryden McKay's stick which was lying on the ice to his left. Shane Pinto pounced on it and whacked it past McKay for his second goal of his young career and a 1-0 UND lead at 10:59. 

It stayed that way until early in the second when Marc Michaelis jammed one home from the doorstep just 26 seconds into the frame for a tie score. 

MSU then grabbed the lead at the 5:21 mark of the third as a shot from the point found its way through bodies past Scheel and the Mavs slipped ahead, 2-1.  

UND (2-1-1) pulled its goalie in the final minute and got another man advantage after a scrum, playing the final 45 seconds 6-on-4. The Hawks got off a few shots but the Mavericks' defense blocked some chances with MSU avoiding any late-game damage. 

"They're a good team, I thought we played well enough to win, but it didn't go our way. We've just got to bounce back here against Bemidji State," Pinto said. "I just think the little things, those kind of add up in the end. I think we had good enough chances to score but burying our opportunities is the main thing."

North Dakota will return home for three consecutive weekends, beginning next Friday with a two-game series against another WCHA opponent, Bemidji State. 

Notes: North Dakota killed its only penalty, keeping the team perfect for the season on the penalty kill (13-13) ... Bernard-Docker leads UND with five points through four games (0g, 5a) ... Pinto has a point in all four of his collegiate games (2g, 2a) ... UND has held a lead in all four games this year ... The Fighting Hawks have out-shot their opponent in every contest this year ... Four UND players are still averaging at least a point per game this year (Bernard-Docker, Dixon Bowen, Harrison Blaisdell and Pinto).