GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team took on St. Cloud State University in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Faceoff semifinals. The winner would move on to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship game and face the winner of the University of Denver and the University of North Dakota. The Bulldogs fought hard but ultimately fell to SCSU, 3-2. UMD now sits 14-10-2 on the year and will wait to see if it receives an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. The loss brings the UMD's 13-game post-season win streak to an end.

"It's like the games we've had with them, both teams trading momentum and chances. One thing I was disappointed in was the penalties. You can't take penalties against any teams moving forward," said UMD Head Coach Scott Sandelin. "It's out of our control now but I'm certainly hoping we get that opportunity because I think this group deserves it."
 
Sophomore netminder Ryan Fanti got the nod in net this afternoon. Fanti made 31 saves on 34 shots. He now sits at 10-7-2 while carrying a 2.40 goals against and a .905 save percentage. Goaltender David Hrenak was in net for SCSU this afternoon, stopping 24 of 26 on the day.
 
The Huskies started scoring off 7:02 into the first frame. After applying pressure, SCSU got the puck up to the point. Defenseman Seamus Donohue shot the puck with the rebound popping to forward Zach Okabe. Okabe passed over to forward Jami Krannila, who ripped the puck past a sprawling Fanti. Things were brought back even while the Bulldogs were on a power play. After passing the puck around, junior forward Jackson Cates fired a shot and the rebound popped out to the back door where senior forward Kobe Roth netted his 13th goal of the season 7:16 into the period. SCSU took back the lead with 2:08 to go in the first frame on the power play. The puck was passed around and popped out to Krannila, who shot it at the net. The rebound came to forward Kevin Fitzgerald, who hammered it home.
 
Senior forward Koby Bender tied things back at two a side with 7:06 to go in the second period. Bender scored his third goal of the tournament when Roth grabbed the puck near the point, spun and fired it to Bender. Bender was camped on the far side of the net for a tap in. SCSU grabbed the lead again while shorthanded. Forward Chase Brand threw the puck at the net on a wrap around and it squeaked by Fanti's left leg pad and just over the line with 2:52 to go in the period.
 
While neither team scored in the final frame, UMD made a hard push, doubling SCSU's shot attempts in the final frame (26-13) and hit the net nine times to the Huskies' five.
 
Bender and Roth scored UMD's goals, with Bender grabbing his third of the tournament. J. Cates, Roth and freshman defenseman Wyatt Kaiser each finished with an assist on the day. Roth and junior forward Cole Koepke both had five shots in the contest.
 
The Bulldogs will wait to see if they will receive an at-large bid into the NCAA National Tournament.