Neal Pionk has never scored an overtime goal at any level, but he came awfully close Friday night in the University of Minnesota Duluth's 2-2 tie with visiting Colorado College.
Pionk scored with 41.7 seconds to go in regulation to force overtime and then helped the Bulldogs pick up the extra National Collegiate Hockey Conference point by striking again in the 3-on-3. That came after the two teams were unable to break the deadlock in the NCAA-mandated five-minute sudden death session. Pionk's second goal may not count in the official statistics, but it counted for something for the No. 1-ranked Bulldogs.
"We'll take the two points," said UMD head coach
Scott Sandelin. "I liked the way we started the game -- we had some good jump and energy. I thought our second period was flat, but we battled back and found a way to get that late goal."
Battling back is something the Bulldogs have grown accustomed to in 2016-17 as they have lost only once in the eight games they've trailed at the second intermission (3-1-4). That includes Friday when UMD found itself down 2-1 heading into the third period.
UMD (12-3-4 overall; 8-2-1-1 NCHC) took a 1-0 lead at 13:56 of the first period on junior center
Avery Peterson's first goal as a Bulldog. Peterson, who beat Colorado College goaltender Alex Leclerc with an odd angle shot down low, was appearing in just his second UMD game after transferring from the University of Nebraska Omaha. With the Bulldogs on the power play, Sam Rothstein got the equalizer for the Tigers (5-12-2; 1-6-2-0) a little less than two minutes later off a 2-on-1 breakaway. That marked the first shorthanded score for a UMD opponent since Dec. 12, 2015. After Peterson was accessed a five-minute major and game misconduct penalty for checking from behind 7:09 into the second and it took Colorado College's Matt Hansen just 31 seconds to capitalize with the 5-on-4 advantage. The Tigers held on to that 2-1 advantage until Pionk picked up his career-high fifth goal of the season on a blast from the right point after UMD had pulled its netminder, freshman
Hunter Miska
The Bulldogs put a season-best 45 pucks on target and outshot their long-time rivals 20-2 in the third period (and 4-1 in overtime). Miska made 16 saves in his 13th consecutive starting assignment for UMD, which extended its unbeaten streak over the Tigers to 11 games (9-0-2). Colorado College still has yet to post a victory at AMSOIL Arena, going 0-7-2 at the downtown Duluth facility since it opened in December 2010.
The two teams will meet again Saturday night at 7:07 p.m.
