Box Score Justin Crandall couldn't have been more blunt -- and perhaps more spot on --  in his assessment of the University of Minnesota Duluth's first-ever National Collegiate Hockey Conference home appearance Friday night against St. Cloud State University.

"I  don't think there's any question we were the better team tonight," said the Bulldog junior right winger.. "We had a lot of good chances and kept on them all night, but unfortunately couldn't get the win."

Jonny Brodzinski gave St. Cloud State its first lead of the evening with a goal at 14:29 of the third period then struck again five minutes later to lift the Huskies to a 4-2 victory.
The No. 20 Bulldogs, who were playing at AMSOIL Arena for the first time in six weeks, lost for just the second time in their last nine games in Duluth, despite outshooting the second-ranked Huskies 38-19 and putting on a puck possession clinic for a good chunk of the night.

UMD (6-6-1 overall; 2-3-0-0 NCHC) got on the board first a little under six minutes into the game when junior center Caleb Herbert's scored on a bomb from between the faceoff circles. Nick Dowd answered for the Huskies (10-1-2; 5-1-1-0) on the power play at 9:10 of the first, cashing in on the first of only four shots St. Cloud State threw on net that entire period. Crandall, who turned in a four-point performance in UMD's last outing (a 6-2 triumph at No. 1 University of Minnesota on Nov. 24), took a pass from freshman left winger Kyle Osterberg and rapped in his team-high sixth goal of the year -- and fourth on the power play -- to get UMD back on top at 11:42 of the second period. That lead, however, would hold up for just six minutes until Kalle Kossila'sshot  from outside the blueline and deflected off Bulldog defenseman Tim Smith and past sophomore netminder Matt McNeely.  McNeely (2-2-0), who has allowed only four even-strength goals in six appearances this season, wound up finishing with a 15 saves

The Bulldogs held a 25-10 shot advantage at the second intermission, but Faragher stood his ground the rest of the way while Brodzinski's followed up an unassisted goal with an empty netter with 44 seconds to play.  St. Cloud State was two-of-four on the power play and held the Bulldogs to just one goal in six opportunities with the extra man.

The two former Western Collegiate Hockey Association rivals will conclude their NCHC series Saturday night. The Bulldogs are an impressive 4-1-1 in rematch games thus far in 2013-14.

"I think we'll be plenty motivated tomorrow," said Crandall. "It's never fun losing, especially at home, but  we'll be ready to get after again."