It was just the kind of night the University of Minnesota Duluth need.

After mustering just one each night last weekend in a pair of losses to top-ranked Minnesota State University, the No. 14 Bulldogs were looking to rediscover its goal-scoring grove and that's exactly what they did in their National Collegiate Hockey Conference series opener at the University of Nebraska Omaha on Friday. 

UMD busted loose for a season-high six goals, including four in the third period, and went on to take down the No. 18 Mavericks 6-3. 

Sophomore left wingers Noah Cates and Cole Koepke each scored twice for the Bulldogs, who improved to 8-6-1 overall and  5-1-1-0 in NCHC. Cates, who has two multi-goals games to his credit this season, also assisted on another score while junior left winger Nick Swaney (one goal and one assist) and junior defenseman Dylan Samberg (two assists) both collected a pair of points. Cates now has nine goals on the season, equaling his entire total from a year ago.

UMD, which never trailed the entire evening, entered the third period up 2-1 before the two clubs combined to score six times in a span just under 10 minutes. The Bulldogs outshot the hosts 31-24 as senior All-American goaltender Hunter Shepard, making his 100th collegiate appearance and 96th consecutive start, made 21 saves en route to improving his all-time record against Omaha to 7-1-0.

The Bulldogs came into the night having scored more of its overall goals on the power play (48.6 percent) than any NCAA I club and the fourth best power play efficiency rating in the country (29.5 percent) went 0-for-3 with the man advantage. That marked just third time this season, UMD was held scoreless with the extra man.

The two teams will meet again Saturday at 7:07 p.m. in Omaha.