GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Alex Tracy made 37 saves to help Minnesota State preserve a 2-2 overtime tie against No. 4 North Dakota Saturday night at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Tracy also stopped all three shots in the shootout as the Mavericks rebounded from a 6-2 Friday night loss to the Fighting Hawks.
 
"It was a great response," head coach Luke Strand commented on Tracy's performance. "No one was more disappointed on Friday than him and his ability to come back and be focused right from the start was really important. It's a credit to the type of person and goalie that he is."
 
Minnesota State scored the first goal of the game at the 8:20 mark of the first period. Kaden Bohlsen left the puck behind the net and Will Hillman swung out in front, turned and fired it for a 1-0 lead. Jordan Steinmetz collected the second assist.
 
North Dakota evened things up at 6:14. Cameron Berg provided a screen in front of Tracy and Riese Gaber's shot found its way through from inside the right circle on the power play.
 
In the final minute of the opening frame, the Mavericks pinned the Hawks in their own zone for more than a minute Then Brett Moravec intercepted a breakout pass and fed Sam Morton in front of the net for his fourth goal of the season on a wrister.
 
The Mavericks nearly scored a third time in the first period but a point shot deflected down by Brendan Olson was deemed a high stick by the officials.
 
UND's tying goal came on an individual effort by Hunter Johannes 8:29 into the third period. Johannes walked around a defender in the neutral zone and then scored on a wrist shot from the high slot. Dylan James and Garrett Pyke assisted.
 
Morton broke up a scoring opportunity but was sent to the penalty box for hooking 1:52 into overtime. As a result, the Mavericks began the 4-on-3 kill with freshmen Moravec and Evan Murr, along with sophomore Mason Wheeler.
 
All three were effective and Jordan Steinmetz blocked a shot late to help Minnesota State hold on. Tracy made eight saves in the extra session.
 
"I was proud of the response and proud of the standard that the guys got back to," Strand said. "Maybe a piece that was missing was that we weren't desperate enough at critical times last night but we were tonight."
 
North Dakota outshot Minnesota State 39-25 overall. Campbell Cichosz led MSU with four shots and the Mavericks won 29 of 68 faceoffs. MSU finished 0-for-3 on the power play with one shot. The Fighting Hawks managed a 1-for-5 power play with 11 shots.
 
The Mavericks (2-3-1, 0-0-0 CCHA) have a week off before traveling to face Ferris State in their CCHA opener November 10-11 in Big Rapids, Michigan. North Dakota (4-1-1, 0-0-0 NCHC) faces Boston University on the road next week.