It wasn't the drought-busting win the University of Minnesota Duluth had been hoping for, but Friday night's come-from-behind 4-4 overtime draw with the University of North Dakota was still a source of encouragement  for the Bulldogs. 

UMD put a season-high 46 shots on net and got an equalizing goal from senior defenseman Drew Olson with 5:52 left in regulation in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series opener, which was played before a sellout crowd of 11, 872 at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The Bulldogs, now winless in their last six outings (0-4-2), drew first blood at 3:39  of the first period when senior right winger Mike Seidel, intercepted a pass in offensive zone and then beat North Dakota goaltender Clarke Saunders with a shot high to the glove side. For Seidel, who has picked up at least one point in eight of UMD's nine games to date, it was his team-leading sixth goal of the the season.  No. 6 North Dakota answered at 13:39 before taking its first lead of the night 1:39 into the second. UMD rookie left winger Austin Farley struck twice in a span of 3:06 midway through the game, including once on the power play, to put the Bulldogs (2-5-2 overall; 0-3-2 WCHA) back on top, but that advantage was short-lived as Danny Kristo's second goal of the period 36 seconds later sent the teams into the second intermission knotted at 3-3.

Rocco Grimaldi got the final goal for North Dakota (4-3-2; 2-1-2) 12:37 into the third, a period in which it was outshot  by UMD 17-6. Bulldog junior Aaron Crandall, who was making his first appearance in five games, blanked the hosts the rest of the way and wound up the night with 29 saves.

The two team will close out their only regular season series of the year Saturday night in Grand Forks, N.D.