UMD beats the clock and the U in overtime

You need to upgrade your Flash Player to properly use this content.

Start Update | Cancel

If you think you may have reached this message in error, you can bypass the detection.

Just as a tie looked imminent, the Bulldogs stunned the Gophers when Travis Oleksuk scored with 12 seconds to go.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: November 21, 2009 - 12:41 AM

Sophomore center Travis Oleksuk of Minnesota Duluth was out for about a month early this season because of a knee injury. He played in only his sixth game Friday but made the biggest play.

Oleksuk's second goal of the season, with 12 seconds left in overtime, gave UMD a 4-3 comeback victory over the Gophers at Mariucci Arena before an announced crowd of 10,188.

"The puck was bouncing around," said Bulldogs forward Jack Connolly, on the ice for the winning goal. "Fonzie [Justin Fontaine] tried to turn and fire to the net, and it hit a guy's shins. Then it came to Bordo [Rob Bordson], and he tried the same thing. And somehow it popped back to Trav."

Oleksuk scored from 20 feet out in the right circle.

"It's huge having him back," said Connolly, who scored twice.

After building a 2-0 lead early in the second period, the Gophers fell behind 3-2 and needed sophomore Nico Sacchetti's power-play goal with 2:19 left in the third period to tie the score.

UMD started the five-minute overtime on a power play and took the only four shots in the extra period. A tie seemed imminent as the seconds clicked off in the last minute.

Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin had a different view from his bench. "I knew if Travis could get the shot off, it was going in because he [Gophers goalie Alex Kangas] was off the post. Their defenseman almost got there.

"But good work by Fontaine and Bordson to keep the puck alive. And a good, quick shot. It found a home. A good two points."

The Gophers (4-6-1, 3-5-1) played well in the first period, forechecking hard, limiting the Bulldogs to eight shots and buzzing around the net on their only power-play chance. But the opening period ended scoreless.

Minnesota had four shots on net on its power play and another four-five shots that were either off the mark or blocked.

In the middle period, Jordan Schroeder of the Gophers scored at 43 seconds. After not scoring in the first eight games, the sophomore center has a goal in three consecutive games. Mike Hoeffel set him up with a blind, backhand pass from behind the net.

Jake Hansen made it 2-0 Gophers at five minutes on a shot from the left circle following a Bulldogs' turnover in the neutral zone.

UMD (8-4-1, 5-3-1) cut that lead in half with Jack Connolly's power-play goal at 7:09. With Hoeffel off for hooking, Bordson put a shot on net from the slot and Connolly batted in the midair rebound.

The goal was the Bulldogs' 23rd on the power play, which came into this series clicking at a 26.5 percent pace.

Good luck helped UMD tie the game in the 16th minute. Cody Danberg flipped the puck in front from the right side, and it found defenseman David Fischer's skate and ricocheted in.

UMD took a 3-2 lead on its first good chance of the final period. Connolly got his second goal at 5:59 from close range.

"We did a lot of good things," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "The want was there. We blocked shots. We had our scoring chances. They just made the play at the end of the game."

Recent Gophers stories

Macklin, Parsons each score 20 as Florida beat Mississippi State 69-62 in SEC play - November 21, 2009

Macklin, Parsons each score 20 as Florida beat Mississippi State 69-62 in SEC play - Vernon Macklin and Chandler Parsons each scored 20 points to lead Florida to a 69-62 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday. More