HUSKIES EDGED 3-2 IN SATURDAY REMATCH WITH UND AT THE NHC
St. Cloud, Minn. – The St. Cloud State University men’s hockey team suffered a tough 3-2 loss to #17 North Dakota at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, MInn. on Jan. 21. The loss moves SCSU’s record to 10-12-4, 7-8-3 WCHA, while North Dakota improved its record to 13-10-2, 9-9-0 WCHA.
The results of the weekend in WCHA play moved the Huskies into a tie for seventh place along with Michigan Tech (17 points each), while North Dakota moved into sixth place with 18 points on the season.
In an entertaining contest at the NHC, North Dakota gained an early 1-0 lead in the first period with a goal by Corban Knight at 1:57. Assists on UND’s goal were added by Danny Kristo and Brock Nelson.
The Huskies wasted little time in evening
the score at 1-1 when freshman blueliner
Andrew Prochno scored his fourth goal of
the season at 2:50 of the first. Sophomore
Nic Dowd and junior forward David Eddy
both posted assists on the play.
To close out the first period scoring, UND’s
Knight added his second goal of the game
at 6:07. Joe Gleason and Dillon Simpson
carded assists on the goal for UND.
In the second period, North Dakota scored
the eventual game winner at 2:50 with a
goal by Nelson as Knight and Kristo
provided the assists on the play.
The Huskies rallied in the second period with
a goal by Eddy at 14:14. Senior forward Jared
Festler notched his ninth assist of the season
on the goal with a nice set up pass to Eddy in
the slot. Prochno provided the second assist
on the play, which was his team-leading 16th
assist of the 2011-12 season. The goal was
Eddy’s sixth of the campaign.
Late in the third period, SCSU went on the
power play and pulled freshman goalie Ryan
Faragher to gain the extra attacker. In the final
minute of play it appeared that SCSU may have
tied the game but upon further review of the replay, it was determined the puck was kicked into the net and the goal was waved off. UND went on to gain the victory as they outshot the Huskies 36-30 in the contest.
Faragher and UND goalie Aaron Dell provided highlight reel material throughout the game with several key saves at both ends of the rink. Faragher notched 33 saves on the night for the Huskies, while Dell had 28 saves in the game. On the weekend, Faragher was impressive against UND with a total of 74 saves in the two games.Both teams were in top form on the penalty kill over the weekend. On Jan. 21, the Huskies went 1-of-1 on the penalty kill and UND was 4-of-4. In the two games combined neither team was able to convert on the power play as SCSU was 4-of-4 on the penalty kill and UND was 7-of-7.
The Huskies will continue the WCHA season with a home-home series against rival Minnesota. On Jan. 27, the Huskies will travel to Minnesota for a 7:07 p.m. start and on Jan. 28, Minnesota will travel up I-94 for a 7:07 p.m. game at the National Hockey Center. Tickets are still available for the game at St. Cloud State on Jan. 28.
