The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs defeated No. 8 St. Cloud State 5-1 in game two of the NCHC Quarterfinals. The Bulldogs improved to a 16-19-1 overall record. 

In tonight's game Carter Loney potted two goals, along with Wyatt Kaiser, Ben Steeves, and Dominic James all scoring one each. James and Kaiser also had a two point night as they each notched one assist. Kyle Bettens and Quinn Olson added two assists and the Bulldogs to tally one assist included Jack Smith, Isaac Howard, and Luke Loheit. Zach Stejskal had a season high saves of 34 and only allowed one goal tonight. 

At the start of period one, the Huskies struck first and got another early lead. However, UMD responded back with their first with 7:20 left on the clock. Olson picked up a turned over puck behind UMD's net and dished it to Bettens in the defensive end. Bettens brought it up the ice on the right boards and made a pass across to Loney. Loney sent a back handed shot to the top shelf and tied the game 1-1. The period ended with a set of penalties that would carry over into the second. 

Opening the second period on a 4-on-4, the Bulldogs pushed to keep the Huskies from scoring. Aftering UMD got back to full strength, they got a huge boost of momentum. Smith knocked the puck from under a Huskie and got it to Kaiser. Kaiser brought it around to the middle and fired through traffic and scored the go-ahead goal at 17:02. Not long after the Bulldogs found the back of the net once more. As the play was making its way back down the ice, James intercepted the puck and found Steeves wide open in the slots. Steeves ripped a shot in front of the net and gave UMD a two goal lead. Only 16 seconds later, Kaiser tried to fire a shot from the blueline. Having broken his stick on the shot, the puck was just short of the net, but Loheit found the puck and flicked it to James. James, at the post, sent the puck in the back door. After three unanswered goals, UMD closed the period 4-1. 

In the third period the Huskies put up a challenge for the Bulldogs. SCSU led the period in shots on goal 18-6, but the Bulldogs held them scoreless in the third.UMD had their first penalty kill of the game just under the halfway point of the period. The Bulldogs held SCSU to just three shots while having the man-advantage. After not having scored on their power play, SCSU pulled their goalie at 4:40. Bettens, behind SCSU's net, got the puck to Olson in front of the net and he dumped it in, sealing the deal 5-1. 

UP NEXT With NCHC quarterfinals being best-of-three, the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs and St. Cloud State Huskies will play again tomorrow night at 6:07 p.m.