Box Score    Duluth, Minn.  --- 11^th-rated Minnesota State pulled away from Minnesota Duluth, scoring three times in the third period, in claiming a 4-2 win in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played in Duluth Friday night.

Freshman forward Dylan Margonari, who hadn’t scored since Dec. 14, took a centering pass from senior forward Eriah Hayes and beat Matt McNeely stickside at 4:29 of the opening period for the game’s first goal.  The Bulldogs responded at 12:37 following a MSU turnover in its defensive zone, when  Austin Farley deflected a shot from the point from Tim Smith past Stephon Williams.

UMD took a 2-1 second-period lead at the 7:31 mark on a shot from 40 feet out from Mike Seidel that beat Williams along the ice.

The Mavericks stormed back in the third period, taking control of the game by taking territorial advantage from the face-off.  Junior forward Zach Lehrke fired a shot that beat McNeeley between the pads at 3:32 to tie the game and it became a MSU 3-2 lead at 8:57 after freshman forward Teddy Blueger tapped a rebound over McNeeley’s glovehand for his fourth goal of the season. Senior forward Eriah Hayes was credited with his team-high 13^th goal of the season on a scramble in front of the net at 16:23 to make it a 4-2 final.

Hayes and Blueger enjoyed three-point nights with a goal and two assists each.

Now 17-9-3 overall on the season and 11-9-1 WCHA, Minnesota State outshot the Bulldogs by a 41-28 margin in the game.  The Mavericks were zero-of-five power play chances while UMD went zero-for-four.

Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth wrap up the two-game WCHA set Saturday with a 7:07 p.m. face-off scheduled.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented after the win.



 
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