Grand Forks, N.D. --- Minnesota State could not overcome a 2-0 first period deficit, eventually falling by a 4-1 margin at #5 North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D., Friday. 

UND got off to a 2-0 first-period lead on goals by Corban Knight at 2:07 and Jason Gregoire at 6:45. The Mavericks pulled within one at 10:13 after junior defenseman Ben Youds beat Brad Eidsness with a wrist shot from the top of the circle on a power play opportunity. The goal by Youds, his first of the year, is his second career goal with his last goal coming during the course of his freshman season on Feb. 1, 2008 in a game against Denver. 

Knight got his second goal of the night at 9:41 of the second period and a power play marker by Gregoire, in which his wrister on the power play at 16:26 beating MSU sophomore Austin Lee, who had replaced Phil Cook following his goal in the first period goal, made it a 4-1 UND lead at the end of the second stanza. 

The two teams battled through a scoreless third period with MSU ending up on the shortside of the 4-1 decision. Now 7-3-1 in its last 11 games, MSU was outshot by a 33-19 margin in the game. 

The Mavericks are now 11-10-2 overall for 2009-10. MSU and UND hook-up again Saturday with a 7:07 p.m. face-off scheduled at Engelstad Arena. - 30 -