They were certainly down -- but definitely not out.

Trailing 4-2 at the second intermission, the University of Minnesota Duluth struck three times within a span of eight minutes in the third period to down visiting Miami University, 5-4, Friday and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three National Collegiate Hockey Conference quarterfinal playoff series. The victory was the fifth straight for No. 20 UMD and its third in as many games against Miami.The two clubs met twice last weekend at AMSOIL Arena, where UMD swept that regular season finale series.

The Bulldogs, the tournament's No. 4 seed, got points from 12 different players and became the first club this season two score two power play goals on the fifth-seeded RedHawks, who entered the evening ranking second in the nation in penalty kill effeciency. 

Senior right winger Austyn Young gave UMD an early 1-0 lead with his sixth goal of the season just 4:34 in, but even-strength scores by Zach LaValle (at 12:17 of the first) and Ryan Siroky (at 4:11 of the second) put Miami on top. UMD drew even on the power pay at 9:59 of the second period when senior defenseman Andy Welinski's wicked wrister from just inside the blueline beat RedHawk goaltender Jay Williams. It took Miami just 18 seconds to answer and three minutes later a power play goal by Louie Belpido made it 4-2. Rookie right winger Adam Johnson ignited UMD's third-period comeback with his sixth goal of the year at the 4:54 mark before freshman defenseman Neal Pionk tied things up with a power play bomb from the right point with 7:48 to go. Seventy-seven seconds later, junior defenseman Carson Soucy pocketed his first collegiate game-winner, taking a feed from senior left winger Austin Farley and ripping in a shot from between the circles.

After surrendering four goals on the first 10 shots he faced, sophomore goaltender and 2015-16 NCHC goals against average leader Kasimir Kaskisuo shifted to shutdown mode and finished with18 saves. That included a shorthanded breakaway stop on Anthony Louis early in the third period with the RedHawks leading 4-2. Williams had 28 saves for Miami, which is now winless in seven of its last eight outings with the Bulldogs (1-6-1).

"It was a great team effort tonight," said Johnson. "We didn't have the start we wanted, but the the comeback we had shows a lot of character for our team."

With its first-ever NCHC playoff victory (1-4), UMD improves to 16-14-5 overall and will look to clinch the best-of-three playoff series on Saturday night.