NO. 7 BULLDOGS BATTLE BACK, PLAY TO 2-2 TIE WITH MIAMI
Kobe Roth’s extra attacker goal with under two minutes remaining helped the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs to a 2-2 tie with the Miami University RedHawks on Saturday evening in Duluth. Though the game will go down as a tie, Miami took the extra NCHC point with a shootout victory.
The tie comes for UMD despite outshooting Miami 52-17 on Saturday. On the night, Jesse Jacques and Roth both tallied goals for the Bulldogs, while Wyatt Kaiser, Darian Gotz, Koby Bender, and Owen Gallatin all registered one assist each. Additionally, Gotz, Roth, and Bender all finished the two-game series with two points each. Junior goaltender Ryan Fanti got the start for UMD and made 15 saves on 17 RedHawks shots.
The Bulldogs came out firing in the first period, outshooting the RedHawks 14-2 through the first 20 minutes. Extended zone time for UMD would setup the games first goal. After a long shift in the Miami defensive zone, Bender made a cross-zone pass to an open Gallatin at the left point. Gallatin floated a wrist shot that was stopped by Ludvig Persson. Jacques scooped up the rebound and banked the puck in off a Miami defender. The goal is Jacques’s sixth of the season and gave UMD the 1-0 advantage heading into the second period of play.
In the second, Minnesota Duluth continued to press. Despite outshooting the RedHawks 33-8 through two periods, the Bulldogs would head to the third period down by one. Midway through the second, a snapshot from the right point was deflected by Matthew Barbolini in the high slot and past Fanti to tie the game at one. Just over two minutes later, a rebound was punched in by Thomas Daskas, giving the RedHawks the 2-1 advantage with six minutes remaining in the second. UMD would get a late period power play but was unable to beat Persson. Miami took the 2-1 lead to the final 20 minutes of regulation.
Down by one, the Bulldogs tossed everything at the net, outshooting the RedHawks 13-9 in the final frame. UMD appeared to have tied the game six minutes into the period, but Roth’s goal would be disallowed from goaltender interference. With under two minutes remaining in regulation, the Bulldogs chose to pull Fanti in an attempt to tie up the game. While at the blueline, Kaiser made a quick pass to Roth, who was positioned in the middle of the zone. Roth labeled a slap shot at Persson, which would roll pas the goalkeeper and tie the score at 2-2. The teams would head to overtime. UMD would get a 4-3 powerplay opportunity in overtime but couldn’t convert, sending the teams to a shooutout. Red Savage’s second round goal would ensure a shootout win and the extra NCHC point for Miami.
Up Next
The Bulldogs will be back on the road next weekend. UMD will faceoff with the University of Nebraska-Omaha in a two-game series from Baxter Arena in Omaha. Puck drop is set for 7:07 PM on Friday evening and 6:07 PM on Saturday.
