Alex Iafallo certainly did his part to keep the University of Minnesota Duluth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference title hunt Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The senior left winger scored shorthanded early in the first period and then helped the Bulldogs secure the extra league point by striking on UMD's first attempt in the sudden death shootout. That came after the top-ranked Bulldogs and host Colorado College played to a 2-2 overtime tie and then failed to score in the ensuing 3-on-3 overtime. UMD, which is unbeaten in its last nine games, is now two points back of league-leading University of Denver with four NCHC outings remaining.

The Bulldogs (19-5-6 overall; 12-5-3-3 NCHC) struck twice in the opening 1:47 minutes of play on a tip-in power play goal from senior center Dominic Toninato and Iafallo's first career shortie (which came off a breakaway). That two-goal cushion held up -- thanks in part to some stellar puckstopping from UMD rookie goaltender Hunter Miska -- until the waning seconds of the second period when Matt Hansen struck on the power play. Colorado College (7-20-3; 3-14-3), which fell 2-1 to the Bulldogs on Friday night, got the equalizer with 1:58 to go in regulation on Cole McCaskill's blast from between the faceoff circles. UMD spent the final 1:09 of regulation and the the basically the last two minutes of overtime on the power play, but was unable to convert (it was 1-of-6 with the man advantage on the night). The Tigers' enjoyed even less success with the man advantage (1-for-10) and was on the power play for all but eight seconds of five-minute 3-on-3 overtime session after Bulldog senior defenseman Carson Soucy was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for contact to the head with eight seconds left in overtime.

Miska, in his 24th consecutive start, finished with 34 saves  for the Bulldogs, who were outshot 36-24. The two clubs combined for 20 penalties and 59 minutes.

Iafallo, who has now made good on four of his five lifetime NCHC shootout tries, picked up an assist on Toninato's goal, giving him a team-high 32 points (14 goals and 18 assists) on the season.

The Bulldogs will return to AMSOIL Arena to face Miami University in their 2016-17 regular season home finales this Thursday and Friday night.