MANDAN, ND – The top two teams in the top two divisions of ACHA hockey once again put on a spectacular show in front of a standing room only crowd. In the final home game of the season and Senior Night for the University of Mary, the Marauders were edged 5-4 by visiting Minot State University with just 71 seconds remaining in overtime.
The Marauders, the two-time defending American Collegiate Hockey Association Men's Division 2 national champion, is ranked #1 in the nation and have already earned a berth in the national tournament. The Beavers are ranked #1 in ACHA M1. This was the fourth meeting of the season between the two Highway 83 rivals with upper division Minot State winning three times.
The Marauders are 34-6-2-1 (W-L-OTL-T) on the season overall and 25-4-0-1 against fellow ACHA M2 teams. UMary is 9-2-2 when facing ACHA M1 opposition. Minot State is 27-2.
In a penalty-filled first period that featured seven total trips to the penalty box, including four for the Marauders, the Beavers knocked home a pair of goals to take a 2-0 lead into intermission. Drew Carter scored his 16
th goal of the season at 13:23 with Joey Moffat connecting for his 18
th at 15:06.
The Marauders broke on the board at 9:44 of the second.
Isaiah Thomas sent the puck back to
Cyril Nagurski at the left point, who then quickly played the puck to the right point onto the stick of a wide open
Johnny Witzke. A one-timer by the Marauders All-American blistered the back of the net for Witzke's 17
th goal this season.
A little puck luck contributed to the Marauders second goal. Picking up a clearing attempt by the Beavers just beyond the right corner,
Derek Dropik sent the puck towards the Minot State goal where it was tipped through the pads of goalkeeper Jake Anthony and into the net at 13:24 to draw the Marauders even at 2-2.
Alex Flicek set up the Marauders go-ahead goal as he forced a turnover just outside the Beavers blue line. Quickly playing the puck forward to Thomas, the Marauders leading scorer unleashed a rocket from just under the left dot for a 3-2 UMary lead at 14:53.
The Marauders kept piling up the goals in the third. Just 1:16 into the final period,
Seth Cushing carried the puck through the right circle before spotting
Garrett Freeman crashing the left side of the net. A laser-perfect pass from Cushing through the crease found Freeman for an easy deflection into a side open net.
The Beavers finally broke the Marauders scoring run with Moffatt's second goal of the game at 2:19 when tapped home a loose puck off a rebound in front of the UMary net. At 9:28 Minot State was able to knot the game with both teams down a skater.
Minot State completed its comeback in overtime. Skating three aside,
Kyle Hayden was forced to make several saves to keep the Marauders afloat as the Beavers pressed hard to find the winner. The visitors finally broke through for the game-winner off the stick of Brayden Pawluk with just 71 seconds left in the extra session.
Hayden finished the night with 49 saves, including five in overtime. Anthony posted 14 saves.
Nagurski finished with two assists for the Marauders. Thomas had a goal and an assist.
UMary finished 1-for-6 on the power play while Minot State was 0-for-6.
The Marauders wrap up the regular season with a pair of road games at the University of Minnesota Crookston on March 3-4.
The ACHA M2 national tournament is slated for March 17-21 in Marlborough, MA.
M1 Minot State University 5 (OT) at M2 University of Mary 4 - Status: Final OT1
Saturday, February 18, 2023 - Starion Sports Complex (ND)
M1 Minot State University 2 0 2 1 - 5
M2 University of Mary 0 3 1 0 - 4
1st Period-1, M1 Minot State University, Carter 16 (Cochrane, Barley), 13:23. 2, M1 Minot State University, Moffatt 18 (Buchholz, Kadolph), 15:06. Penalties-Moffatt M1msu (interference), 2:29; Logan Rands M1msu (interference), 3:58; Freeman Umary (tripping), 5:06; Hamilton M1msu (roughing), 7:40; Eskro Umary (cross checking), 15:24; Kruse Umary (bench-coach), 15:24; Nagurski Umary (slashing), 16:24.
2nd Period-3, M2 University of Mary, Witzke 17 (Nagurski, Thomas), 9:44. 4, M2 University of Mary, Dropik 10 13:24. 5, M2 University of Mary, Thomas 20 (Flicek, Nagurski), 14:53. Penalties-Henry M1msu (delay of game-bench minor), 0:00; Arnold M1msu (roughing), 13:56; Henry M1msu (roughing), 13:56; Hugelen Umary (roughing), 13:56; Lillico Umary (roughing), 13:56; Moffatt M1msu (goalie interference), 16:39; Wieler M1msu (slashing), 19:52.
3rd Period-6, M2 University of Mary, Freeman 10 (Cushing, Lenertz), 1:16 (PP). 7, M1 Minot State University, Moffatt 19 (Howard, Buchholz), 2:29. 8, M1 Minot State University, Sheldon 10 (Soar), 9:28. Penalties-Medeiros Umary (major-check/behind), 5:13; Henry M1msu (tripping), 8:00; Huber Umary (roughing), 11:05.
1st OT Period-9, M1 Minot State University, Pawluk 6 (Moffatt), 3:49. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-M1 Minot State University 15-14-19-6-54. M2 University of Mary 9-4-4-1-18.
Power Play Opportunities-M1 Minot State University 0 / 6; M2 University of Mary 1 / 6.
Goalies-M1 Minot State University, Anthony 18-2-0-0 (18 shots-14 saves). M2 University of Mary, Hayden 23-3-1-0 (54 shots-49 saves).
A-1,153
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