Third Period Burst Gives Gophers Saturday Split

Grand Forks, ND – Max Rud’s first career goal early in the 3rd was the game-winner as the Minnesota Gophers (2-3-1 Overall) exploded for three more goals in the final period to split the weekend series with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (3-1-0), handing first year head coach Dane Jackson his first loss as bench boss for UND.

Coming off a disappointing 5-2 Friday night loss, the Gophers were looking to avoid a sweep and make the bus ride back from The Ralph a little more pleasant. Just like Friday, Minnesota got on the board first. Tanner Ludtke tipped a Brody Lamb power play shot past UND goalie Gibson Homer at 5:46 of the first period to go up 1-0.

Just like Friday night, though, North Dakota answered right back. Keaton Verhoeff tied it at 8:57 of the opening stanza, putting the first (and only) shot of the game past Gopher goalie Luca Di Pasquo to tie it at 1-1. Also just like Friday, the teams traded a scoreless second period, setting the stage for a winner-take-all third period battle.

Finally breaking the Friday mold, the Gophers took the lead in the third. Max Rud scored his first goal (and first point!) in the Maroon and Gold when his blue-line shot snuck through Homer’s legs and just barely crept across the goal line at 1:13 of the third period. After an unsuccessful UND challenge, the goal stuck and put the Gophers up 2-1.

Leo Gruba gave Minnesota an important insurance goal just after a power play expired at 9:39. He took his own rebound and sniped a wrist shot upper corner to beat Homer and give Minnesota its first multi-goal lead of the weekend. The Gophers tacked on another insurance goal at 14:56 via captain Brody Lamb, and L.J. Mooney scored an empty netter (and popped the “M” on his jersey to the hostile crowd) with 54 seconds left to put an end to the scoring at a 5-1 Minnesota victory.

Di Pasquo earned his first win as a Gopher with a solid performance, stopping 23 of 24 UND shots (including many high-danger chances) and firmly thrusting himself back into the mix between the pipes for Minnesota. North Dakota’s Gibson Homer suffered the loss, making 16 saves on 20 Minnesota shots.

The rivalry tour continues for Minnesota, as they host the UMD Bulldogs next weekend before traveling to Wisconsin at the end of October.