Bulldogs sweep Maine, hold on to win 3-2

Noah Cates (21) controls the puck for the Bulldogs. Photo courtesy of UMD Athletics.

In the opening game of the series, the Bulldogs crushed the Maine Black Bears 8-2, with the goals coming from eight different players.

The final game proved to be a lot closer as the Bulldogs hold on to the 3-2 victory.

The scoring started after UMD junior wing Riley Tufte got a slap shot to go right by the goalie, seconds into their first power play of the game. That goal was Tufte’s third power play goal of the season.

The Bulldogs dominated the first period on both ends of the ice. They were in the offensive zone for most of the period and out shot them on goal 14 to 5. The Bulldogs finished the game outshooting the Black Bears 44 to 20.

About a quarter of the way through the second period, freshman Noah Cates scored his second career goal and the second for the Bulldogs. Coates was coming down the right wing before he put a wrist shot under the goalies leg off the feed from Scott Perunovich.

Ten minutes later in the second period, freshman Cole Koepke hit an unassisted turnaround slap shot that went right between the goalies legs for his first career goal and the third for the Bulldogs.

Maine didn’t go quietly, scoring their first goal minutes after UMD scored their third. Senior defenseman Rob Michel hit a slap shot from the top of the zone while on the power play.

Maine answered again 4:45 into the third period, after freshman Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup tips in the rebound off the leg of Hunter Shepard.

The Black Bears pulled the goalie with 1:15 left in the game. The Bulldogs held off the six on five to seal the victory and the sweep.

The Bulldogs have swept their passed two series and are riding a four game win streak into the following weekend.

Up next for the Bulldogs will be quite the test, as they head onto South Bend, Indiana to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.