Grand Forks, N.D.- The St. Cloud State men's hockey team (16-19-1) saw their 2016-17 season come to a close when they suffered a devastating 6-5 overtime loss to the University of North Dakota (20-14-3) in the second game of a best of three NCHC quarterfinal series at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
St. Cloud State's season ends with a 16-19-1 overall record, making them ineligible for NCAA playoff action due to their sub-.500 record, marking the first time in four years that the Huskies have failed to make the NCAA tournament. The loss comes on the heels of a 5-2 loss on Friday night to open NCHC playoffs.
Unlike Friday night, the Huskies opened the scoring at 11:09 of the first when Nick Poehling tipped in a shot from Nate Widman to power the puck past Cam Johnson and put the Huskies up 1-0. The Huskies continued to control the momentum in the game, putting the puck past Johnson again at 18:06. The goal would be called back after a lengthy review by the officials when it was determined that the Huskies had too many men on the ice. UND ran with the momentum and the power play they were rewarded when Blake Winiecki was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Fighting Hawks would make use of their advantage when Austin Poganski got the puck past Smith's skate to tie the game 1-1 with :44 remaining in the period.
The second period started in the Huskies favor with UND's Cole Smith getting called for boarding just :34 into the game. However, just 20 seconds into the power play the Huskies would give up a shorthanded goal to Tyson Jost to give UND a 2-1 lead less than a minute into the period. The Huskies would have looks but none were better than Patrick Newell's shot off a pass from his linemate Robby Jackson off the boards that snuck past Cam Johnson's glove side to tie the game up at 2-2. Less than two minutes later though UND would again take a one goal lead off a Brock Boeser goal. UND would defend their lead for the final 9:23 of the period and carry the 3-2 lead to the end of the second period.
Team Huddle Pre-Game
The third period held enough momentum changes to fill a feature film, causing fans of both teams to mind their breathing and heart rate. 7:11 into the game, Grand Forks native Jon Lizotte swept in to the chaos in front of Cam Johnson to surge the puck past the netminder and tie the game up at 3-3. North Dakota answered at 10:28 with Shane Gersich capitalizing on a turnover by Winiecki to put UND back up 4-3. Lizotte was not done though as he tied the game back up for the Huskies at 4-4 with an unassisted bomb. The Huskies would then take the lead, when Nick Poehling made his own unassisted play and regained the Huskies lead that was lost in the first period. UND however, was down but not out and tied the game up at five all with a laser from the point off the stick of Wolanin. The score would hold at 5-5 as the final buzzer of regulation rang through the arena, indicating overtime.
The two teams would start overtime in a cautious manner, with safe passes and cautious skating until the Huskies took the first strike, flying pucks at Cam Johnson. However, the Fighting Hawks would find themselves the victors in the game as Trevor Olson tipped in Johnny Simonson's shot from down low to put the puck past Smith by the slimmest of margins to end the game and St. Cloud State's season.
In the game, UND outshot the Huskies 41-35. St. Cloud State went 0-2 on the power play, while UND converted on one of their two chances. Goaltender of record Cam Johnson made 30 saves for UND.
