It wasn't a win, but in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, it's the next best thing

The University of Minnesota Duluth, after battling the University of Omaha to a 2-2 overtime tie and settling nothing in the 3-on-3 overtime, picked up an extra league point in the shootout to kick off the two-game series at AMSOIL Arena. Senior Alex Iafallo scored on UMD's first attempt of the shootout -- shortly after his teammate, rookie goaltender Hunter Miska, had stymied Omaha's Jake Randolph.

Senior center Dominic Toninato was responsible for all of the Bulldogs' scoring damage, striking in the opening 12 seconds of the second period and again on the power play with 56 to go before intermission. Omaha's Luc Snuggerud sandwiched in a man advantage goal between the two Toninato scores and Ian Brady got the equalizer 1:32 into the third period. The No. 1 Bulldogs outshot the Mavericks 39-25 on the night, including 5-0 in the five-minute overtime.

No. 1 Bulldogs, who extended their unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1), inched two points ahead of idle Denver atop the NCHC standings. They are 17-5-5 overall and 11-4-2-2 in the NCHC with seven regular season games remaining.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday night at 7:07 p.m.

Notes: UMD is now an even 3-3 in lifetime NCHC shootouts with all six of those taking place at AMSOIL Arena (including the last one before tonight -- a 2-0 loss to Omaha on Feb. 27, 2015) ... Alex Iafallo has cashed in on his three of his four career shootout tries ... Dominic Toninato's two-goal night was his fifth as a Bulldog ... Hunter Miska, the reigning NCHC Rookie of the Month, made 23 saves in his 21st consecutive start ... the Bulldogs are unbeaten in their last eight overtime games (3-0-5) ... Toninato, who paced both clubs with six shots on target, now has eight goals on the season, these were his first two at AMSOIL Arena ... Seven of Omaha's eight goals against UMD this year have come on the power play.

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