Sophomore forward Matthew Knies scored 21 seconds into overtime to give the top-ranked Gophers men's hockey team a 3-2 victory over No. 7 North Dakota on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci in a nonconference game.
Gophers men's hockey forces overtime late, edges rival North Dakota
Mason Nevers tied it with 84 seconds left in regulation before Matthew Knies won it quickly in OT.
October 22, 2022 at 4:56AM
![North Dakota forward Carson Albrecht (13) is hit by Minnesota forward Brody Lamb (17) in the first period Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. ]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/7FZWCOXYYF2HR32SBE4E3LGQKA.jpg?&w=712)
After pulling its goalie, Minnesota (4-1) tied it at 2-2 on Mason Nevers' goal with 1:24 left in the third period.
Until then, it looked as if junior forward Riese Gaber's power-play goal with 36 seconds left in the second, which put UND ahead 2-1, would be the game-winner.
The Fighting Hawks (2-2-1) scored the first goal of the game on Jake Schmaltz's tip-in at 4:23 of the opening period. Gophers defenseman Jackson LaCombe tied it at 18:37 of the second period on a close-range backhander.
North Dakota goalie Drew DeRidder, a transfer from Michigan State, had 35 saves. Justen Close of the Gophers needed to make only 16 stops for the victory.
This was only the Gophers' second victory in this rivalry in the past seven games.
The Gophers had lost their previous three games and their past seven meetings with the Hoosiers. Guard Amaya Battle helped change all that by scoring a game-high 16 points to surpass 1,000 in her career.
