Three points is what the University of Minnesota Duluth needed to secure a home National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoff berth and three points is what it got Friday night.
The Bulldogs got goals from five different players --including sophomore defenseman
Neal Pionk, who added a pair of assists -- and a record-tying performance from sophomore goaltender
Kasimir Kaskisuo in a 5-0 takedown of visiting Miami. With the win, its third in a row, UMD nailed down the fourth, and final, home spot in the NCHC playoff quarterfinals, which start next Friday, and will host these same RedHawks in the best-of-three series.
Junior center
Dominic Toninato roofed a shot 5:05 into the game for his 13th goal of the season and UMD never looked back. Junior defenseman
Brenden Kotyk (his second goal in the past three games) and Pionk (on the power play) both scored in the second period to put the Bulldogs up 3-0. UMD added some insurance at 12:36 of the third when sophomore
Karson Kuhlman beat Miami backup goalie Evan McCarthy, who was making his first collegiate appearance, with a wrister from the left faceoff circle. Six minutes later, junior left winger
Kyle Osterberg rounded out the scoring as UMD improved to 14-14-5 overall and 10-10-3-1 in the NCHC. UMD outshot Miami 11-4 in the final 20 minutes of regulation and 27-20 on the night. Miami only attempted 33 shots the entire evening.
Kaskisuo rejected all 20 shots the RedHawks (15-15-3 overall; 9-12-2-2 NCHC) en route to posting his fifth shut out of the season. That ties the UMD single-season record held by both Alex Stalock (2008-09) and
Brant Nicklin (1997-98). Kaskisuo, who also was credited with an assist Friday (the third of his career), has allowed just three goals over the last four games and has made 94 stops during that stretch for a .969 saves percentage.
"I thought we played a good, full 60 minutes tonight," said Toninato, who is now tied with
Austin Farley for the team lead in goals. "We had a lot of opportunities and didn't let those shots off the pipes (UMD had three of them) get us down."
The Bulldogs and Miami will close out the regular season Saturday night at AMSOIL Arena. UMD's eight seniors will be recognized in a pre-game ceremony as part of the Bulldogs' annual Senior Night festivities.
"We have a positive mindset going into the playoffs," said Kotyk. "We've got a lot of veterans in our lockeroom -- guys who have been through the playoffs -- and I think that will help us."
