PROVIDENCE COLLEGE SKATES TO 2-2 TIE WITH MINNESOTA DULUTH
Senior forward Matt Bergland scores game-tying goal for Friars

Senior forward Matt Bergland scored the game-tying goal for the Friars

The Providence College men's hockey team (2-1-1, 2-0-0 HE) and the University of Minnesota-Duluth (2-3-1, 0-2-0 WCHA) played to a 2-2 overtime tie in the second of back-to-back games at Schneider Arena on Saturday night.

With the game scoreless late in the first period, the Friars had a five-minute power play which overlapped into the second period. However, the Friars could not capitalize on the lengthy power play keeping the score tied at zero. Later into the second period, the Bulldogs scored the first goal of the game after a scramble in front of the Friars net. Justin Crandall managed to find the puck during the scrum in front of Providence goaltender Alex Beaudry (Cumberland, Ont.) to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. Caleb Herbert and David Grun both registered assists on the goal at 12:18 of the second period.

The Friars evened up the score (1-1) at 7:09 of the third period on a goal by red-shirt freshman Damian Cross (Nepean, Ont.). Freshmen Ross Mauermann (Janesville, Wis.) and Stefan Demopoulos (La Mesa, Calif.) both registered assists on Cross' first collegiate goal. The Bulldogs regained the lead at 15:03 of the third period on a power-play goal by Mike Seidel with Travis Oleksuk and Jack Connolly assisting. Providence responded once again and tied up the score (2-2) on a power-play goal by senior Matt Bergland (Faribault, Minn.). Bergland's first goal of the season was scored at 17:39 with assists from senior Daniel New (White Plains, N.Y.) and junior Alex Velischek (Kinnelon, N.J.). UMD had a power-play chance late in overtime, but the Friar penalty kill thwarted that opportunity.

Beaudry (32 saves) and Minnesota-Duluth goaltender Kenny Reiter (31 saves) had strong games in net. The Bulldogs outshot the Friars by one (34-33).

The Friars will play their first road game of the season next weekend when they travel up to Maine to take on the Black Bears on Friday, October 28 at Alfond Arena. The Bulldogs will return home to play Bemijdi State in a WCHA matchup on Friday night.