COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-- Three third-period Colorado College goals boosted the host Tigers past North Dakota, 3-1, at Broadmoor World Arena Friday evening in National Collegiate Hockey Conference play. CC broke a scoreless tie early in the final frame then added a pair of power play tallies in the win.
 
"For a team that's fighting for our lives, we didn't have a lot of urgency. We played okay, but that's not good enough ," said UND head coach Brad Berry. "It's concerning for me, because we've battled all year and this is one where our lives were on the line."
 
Neither team took advantage of their opportunities in the first two periods as UND (15-15-2, 9-11-1 NCHC) outshot CC, 25-23, through the first two frames. Both squads were scoreless on their man-advantage opportunities with CC going 0-for-2 and North Dakota going 0-for-4 through 40 minutes.
 
The third period changed the tenor of the game. Grant Cruikshank got one past Peter Thome at 2:13 of the third for the CC lead. The Tigers (13-16-4, 7-11-3) would then grab a power play goal by Bryan Yoon at 13:13. UND pulled its goalie with just over four minutes to go, but CC was able to take advantage. Trye Bradley found the empty net with 2:01 to go for a 3-0 edge.
 
Andrew Peski scored his second goal of the season, potting an extra-attacker goal at 18:57 but the Tigers emerged with the crucial three points in the league standings. UND remains in fifth place, now seven points in back of Western Michigan.
 
"He (Thome) made some tough stops there at the end of the first period," Berry said. "He wasn't tested early, but he kept us in the game."
 
UND closes its regular season road schedule Saturday night against the Tigers. Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. Central.

NOTES
*Thome made 31 saves, a season high for him. 
*North Dakota finished 0-for-7 on the power play Friday. 
*Both of Peski's goals this season have come against Colorado College (Jan. 11). 
*Denver and Minnesota Duluth each clinched home-ice advantage for the opening round of the NCHC playoffs. WMU and UND are battling for the final spot with the Broncos seven points ahead with three games to go.