Max Plante reached his 50th career point in the most poetic of ways Saturday night, drilling the overtime winner that clinched a 3-2 win for the No. 7 University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team over St. Cloud State University at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn.

 

Plante's game-winner put the sophomore winger in some elite Bulldog history – the goal doubled as his 50th career point, and by reaching that milestone in just 35 games, Plante now resides as the third fastest Bulldog in program history to get to 50 points. Only Dan Lempe, who hit it in 26 games during the 1976-77 season and Keith "Huffer"Christian in 1964-65 got there faster than Plante. Plante also became the most recent Bulldog to reach 50 points under 40 games – the Hermantown, Minn. native did it two games faster than UMD legend Brett Hull did over the 1984-85 season.

 

Plante didn't score the first goal of the game Saturday night, but he certainly factored in it. Callum Arnott's backhand swipe outside the crease gave the Bulldogs the first lead of the game, a goal that came on the power play at the 5:27 mark and was assisted by both Zam and Max Plante – his 49th career point.

 

The Huskies got a heavy three-power play boost in the second period, however, and SCSU's first goal of the frame came with an extra skater at the 3:24 mark, courtesy of Barrett Hall's fourth of the season, Later in the period, SCSU took their lone lead of the game at 16:52, and the Bulldogs went into the second period trailing for just a third game this season.

 

Enter freshman Grayden Siepmann, who added to his stellar weekend with the snap of a wrist from the slot after taking a sly pass from Ryan Zaremba to draw the Bulldogs even at two goals apiece just 3:10 into the third period. 

 

After UMD had been outshot 12-5 in the second period, the Bulldogs reloaded their offense and put 16 shots on goal to the Huskies nine in the final stanza, but the game would need 2:32 of extra time to settle a winner.

 

For a second time in four games, the Bulldogs attacked extra time, and after passing on a wrap-around fleeting seconds earlier, Plante tossed the puck to his brother Zam in the high slot. The elder sibling touched the puck just twice before sending it back to Max for the one-time cannon that beat SCSU goaltender Van Shostak over his right shoulder. In the most dramatic Max Plante fashion, the Bulldogs won their second overtime game of the year with his 19th career goal and more importantly, 50th career point.

 

"Coming around the net, I kind of didn't want them to edge me off, and then I heard the crowd going nuts that I didn't shoot it," said Plante on the game-winner. So I was just kind of thinking in practice I had that same shot probably like two or three times this week and I scored. My dad always talked about if you're feeling good in practice, a lot of times you're going to score and that sort of thing. I'm fortunate it went in, and glory to God, it was pretty nice."

 

The Plante brothers each logged two points Saturday night to tie for the lead among both teams on the night – Max had a goal and an assist and Zam two assists. Six players recorded points, including a secondary assist from Brady Cleveland on the game-tying goal – his first as a Bulldog.

 

Adam Gajan earned his 10th win of the season on 30 saves, and UMD edged SCSU in shots overall 35-32. Shostak made 32 for the Huskies who fell to 6-5-0 and 1-3-0 in the National College Hockey Conference. 

 

The Bulldogs, who now have an eight-game home winning streak against St. Cloud State, improve to 10-2-0, their best record since the 1989-90 season and the fourth time in program history UMD has stormed out to 10 wins in its first 12 games. The Bulldogs will look to extend that run next weekend when it welcomes the University of Nebraska Omaha to AMSOIL for a Friday-Saturday series that gets underway Friday night at 7:07 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES: Just five players in UMD history have reached the 50 career point milestone in less than 40 games – in addition to record holder Dan Lempe, Huffer Christiansen and Max Plante, Brett Hull reached it in 37 games over the 1994-85 season, and Hobey Baker winner Bill Watson did in 39 games the season before in, 1983-84 … of note, three of the four players to reach that mark that fast have jerseys hanging in AMSOIL Arena's rafters …  in all, 15 players have scored 50 points in 50 games or less … Max Plante extended his lead as the NCAA's highest scorer with 22 points (10g, 12a) in just 12 games for a 1.83 points per game average … his brother Zam Plante now ranks second with 19 points on seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points for a 1.58 points per game average … Goaltender Adam Gajan is now in tie for the most wins so far this season (10) … Defenseman Grayden Siepmann had points in both games against the Huskies this weekend, with a goal and an assist … Brady Cleveland, who landed his first point Saturday also led the Bulldogs in blocks with two.