No. 10 Western Michigan edges No. 4 Minnesota Duluth, 4-3; Morrow scores as UMass blanks Providence, 1-0; North Dakota wins 3-1 over Denver; Wisconsin, Ferris State earn conference upsets

By
-
Scott Morrow’s second career goal was also his second career game-winner. Morrow’s lone tally was enough for No. 12 UMass to down No. 7 Providence on Friday night (photo: UMass Athletics).

Ethan Frank’s second goal of the night with just 1:26 left in regulation gave No. 10 Western Michigan a 4-3 win over visiting No. 4 Minnesota Duluth in front of 3,569 at WMU’s Lawson Arena.

Drew Worrad chipped a pass across to Frank as they raced after a loose puck into the UMD zone. Frank put a backhander past Bulldogs goalie Ryan Fanti for the GWG.

Western Michigan took a 1-0 lead to the first intermission and scored early in the second increase the margin to two. Minnesota Duluth got two of its own in the period to tie the game.

Frank’s first goal of the night came 38 seconds into the third period to give the Broncos a 3-2 lead. Minnesota Duluth made it a tie game again on Tanner Laderoute’s goal at 5:45 of the third.

Fanti made 20 saves in the loss, while Brandon Bussi had 26 saves for Western Michigan in the win.

The two NCHC rivals wrap up the conference series tomorrow in Kalamazoo at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Scoreboard  |  USCHO.com Poll

No. 12 UMass 1, No. 7 Providence 0

In a game that saw just one goal and also just one penalty, it was UMass freshman Scott Morrow’s second career goal in as many games that was the difference.

Morrow found himself alone in the slot and took a perfect feed from the corner by Cam Donaldson at 6:25 of the third period for the game-winner.

Providence survived a penalty that came with 3:05 left in the game. Friars coach Nate Leaman pulled goaltender Jaxson Stauber during the last minute of play, but Providence was unable to solve UMass goalie Matt Murray.

The shutout was Murray’s first of the season and 12th of his career and came in front of 4,485 at Mullins Center during UMass homecoming weekend. Murray made 28 saves in the win, with half of those coming in the third period.

The two Hockey East rivals finish their weekend home-and-home series at Providence on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

No. 8 North Dakota 3, No. 11 Denver 1

Matteo Costantini and Louis Jamernik scored 49 seconds apart just midway through the second period, while Jamernik put home the empty-net goal with just over 28 seconds left, to give North Dakota a 3-1 NCHC win over visiting Denver in front of 11,058 at Ralph Engelstad arena.

Denver’s lone tally came late in the second period when Massimo Rizzo, fresh out of the penalty box, intercepted a clearing pass and fed Cameron Wright in the high slot.

Zach Driscoll made 22 saves in the win, while Magnus Chrona had 20 saves in the loss.

The weekend series continues at North Dakota on Saturday at 6:07 p.m. CT.

Wisconsin 4, No. 5 Minnesota 3, OT

Brock Caufield scored the tying goal early in the third period and the game-winner at 3:02 of overtime to help lead Wisconsin to a 4-3 Big Ten win over Minnesota in front of a home crowd of 9,813 at the Kohl Center.

Minnesota got the scoring going in the second period with goals by Sammy Walker and Blake McLaughlin, but the Badgers countered with a power-play goal by Corson Ceulemans at 13:36 and an even-strength tally by Jack Gorniak just 17 seconds later.

The Golden Gophers retook the lead at 3-2 late in the second period on a goal by Brock Faber.

Wisconsin goalie Jared Moe made 44 saves in the win against his former team, including five during a penalty kill late in the third period.

The weekend series wraps on Saturday at 8 p.m. CT.

Ferris State 2, No. 2 Minnesota State 1

Ferris State’s Bradley Marek scored twice in the second period before Minnesota State’s Nathan Smith got the Mavericks on the board en route to a 2-1 win for the Bulldogs in CCHA play.

Logan Stein made 31 saves for Ferris State in the win. Dryden McKay, who was pulled for the extra attacker with 2:38 left in regulation, made 28 saves in the loss.

The two teams complete their weekend conference series on Saturday at 6:07 p.m. ET.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR