The No. 10 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey arguably brought its best game of the season to AMSOIL Arena Friday afternoon, and the result was a tie and two league points from the nation's top-ranked team.

The Bulldogs earned a 2-2 tie with the No. 1 University of Minnesota before grabbing the extra Western Collegiate Hockey Association point in the second overtime.  The overtime tie is the second straight draw against a ranked side for UMD, which just six days ago tied No. 7 Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

"We came out of the gates ready to go tonight and we put them on their heels a little bit in the first," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell.  "We let them back a little in the second but we still put two goals in the net, so coming back in the third, I thought we made a good push again. I thought we had the momentum for a large part of the game, and we had a great game from everybody.  It doesn't matter who is on the ice for the other team when everybody is doing their job."

UMD started hot, outshooting the Gophers 10-3 in the opening first 10 minutes of the game and 15-10 over the period.  That offensive push materialized at 5:48 of the second period on junior winger Anna Klein's fourth goal of the season.  After Maggie Flaherty threw a puck on net from the point, Klein shoveled the rebound just over Sydney Scobee's outstretched glove for the game's first goal.

Minnesota found the equalizer at 12:32  on a goal from Emily Oden, but just 39 seconds later, UMD retook the lead on a single-handed effort from senior forward Sydney Brodt.  Picking up a Gopher turnover along the left boards, Brodt skated in just above the extended goal line and then literally around to Scobee's glove side for her fifth tally of the season.  

Another Gopher goal at 18:23 by Alex Woken neutralized UMD's 26-22 SOG advantage, however, and after 40 minutes of play, the two squads were fittingly tied up at 2-2.  

It would take another 25:59 of action to determine a winner according to WCHA standards.  While the game officially went into the books as a 2-2 tie, UMD struck 59 seconds into 3-on-3 action to pocket the extra point.  Senior defenseman Jalyn Elmes intercepted a Gopher pass in the defensive zone and hit Kylie Hanley off the boards behind the red line.  Hanley entered the offensive zone, skated between the circles and wristed a shot that a streaking Elmes in the slot inadvertently tipped five-hole past Scobee for the game-winner.

In their third overtime game in their past five meetings, the Bulldogs edged the Gophers in shots on goal 35-33.  Scobee had 33 stops for the Gophers (12-1-2, 8-1-2-1), while Maddie Rooney, who made some incredible saves late in the game, finished with a total of 31.

The two teams will hit the ice for a rematch tomorrow afternoon at AMSOIL at 3:07 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES:  UMD and Minnesota have now battled into overtime in five of their last 10 games, and four of their last seven … Gabbie Hughes continued her scoring streak against the Gophers with an assist Friday … the sophomore center now has 10 points (6g, 4a) in seven games against Minnesota.

For a photo gallery of tonight's game, click here -- https://umdbulldogs.com/galleries/womens-ice-hockey/womens-hockey-v-um/152