UMD Athletics

It was an ominous way to start a new season, but an encouraging way to finish out a season opener.

The University of Minnesota Duluth fell behind 30 seconds into the game and dug itself a 3-0 hole through the first 24 minutes of play before mounting a rally that came up just short. The end result was a 4-3 loss to top-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth in the Ice Breaker Tournament semifinals in Notre Dame, Ind.

Sophomore center Dominic Toninato scored twice for his first collegiate multi-goal night and Kasimir Kaskisuo, seeking to become the first UMD rookie to win a season opener in almost 30 years, finished with 18 saves for the Bulldogs, who outshot their long-time intrastate rivals, 27-22.
 

Sam Warning's breakaway goal, which he scored five-hole on Kaskisuo a half a minute after the opening faceoff, gave Minnesota a lead it would never relinquish. Kyle Rau made it 2-0 five minutes later with a shorthanded tally and Justin Kloos converted on the power play at 4:01 of the second period, putting the defending Big Ten Champions up by three. Toninato cut the deficit to 3-1 at 13:21 of the second with his first career power play goal, but Minnesota's Hudson Manning answered with 1:15 to go before intermission. Just 25 seconds into the third period, Andy Welinski whistled a shot from the left face off circle past Gopher goaltender Adam Wilcox and then at 13:46 mark, Toninato buried a one-timer off a feed from sophomore left winger Alex Iafallo to pull UMD to within one at 4-3. Wilcox shut down the Bulldogs the rest of the way, however, and was credited with a 24 saves on the afternoon.

Toninato paced both teams with five shots on goal and was also a team-high +3.

UMD, which suited up four freshmen Friday -- Kaskisuo, right wingers Karson Kuhlman and Brett Boehm, and center Jared Thomas -- as well as sophomore transfer defensemen Brenden Kotyk, will now face the University of Notre Dame in the Ice Breaker Tournament's third place game Sunday at 2:35pm (CT).