Box Score Getting back in the thick of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference title hunt is going to take a little bit of time, but the Bulldogs took a first step in that direction Friday night by holding off the University of Nebraska Omaha 3-2.

UMD, which got even-strength goals from three different players and a superb goaltending performance from senior Aaron Crandall, evened its overall record to 8-8-0 and vaulted into a share of fifth place in the NCHC standings at 4-5-0-0. Nebraska Omaha fell to 8-10-1 in all games and 5-3-1-1 in league play.

Following a scoreless first period, Dominic Toninato got the Bulldogs on the board 5:55 into the second when he deflected fellow freshman forward Alex Iafallo wrister past Omaha netminder Ryan Massa for his fourth goal of the year. Iafallo picked up another assist with 32 to seconds to go before intermission, setting up junior co-captain Adam Krause, who buried shot from the low slot.
 
UNO would not go quietly in the final 20 minutes, ramping up its forecheck in an effort to solve UMD goaltender Aaron Crandall. Crandall, who blanked the Mavericks in his only other appearance against UNO (a 6-0 gem on March 9, 2013 in Duluth) finally gave way 5:55 into the third period on a redirection that cut the Bulldog lead in half at 2-1. That power play goal ended Crandall's shut out run against Omaha at 105:55.
 
Sophomore defenseman Andy Welinski put UMD back up by two with 11:31 remaining in regulation on a bomb from the top of the top of the right face off circle after center Tony Cameranesi peeled the puck back to him off the draw. UNO made a final push in the last three minutes of play and with its goaltender pulled for struck for a final time at the 17:33 mark.

Crandall finished the night with a personal-best 38 saves while Messa made 27 stops.

The two clubs will close out their two-game NCHC series Saturday night at the CenturyLink Center.

Notes:  Sophomore center Tony Cameranesi has racked up nine points (one goal and eight assists) in five lifetime outings against Omaha ... Andy Welinski, who has the only two goals of UMD's entire eight-man defenseman crew this winter, increase his personal scoring to a personal-best four games ... The Bulldogs are 8-0-1 when they've taken a lead into the third period this season and 8-3-1 when they've scored first ... With two assists, Alex Iafallo assumed the top spot on the Bulldog scoring charts with 13 points on six goals and seven assists ... UMD, which is now 5-4-0 away from Duluth in 2013-14, will look to post its first road sweep in over a year (Dec. 14-15, 2012 at the University of Alaska Anchorage) tomorrow in Omaha ... Tonight marked just the third time this season UMD went into the first intermission locked in a 0-0 tie ... Dominic Toninato (one goal and one assist) turned in the first two-point evening of his young collegiate career.