Jeff Bernard scored 2:04 into overtime of the mini-game to lift River Falls into the NCHA championship series next weekend. St. Norbert beat the Falcons 5-2 in the regular game Saturday, tying the series at one game each.
That sent the teams to the 15-minute mini-game. Neither team scored, so they went to overtime. Finally, Bernard took a pass at the right faceoff dot and skated just in front of the end line where he fired a wrister that beat Green Knights goaltender Chancy Colquhoun.
River Falls plays at Wisconsin-Superior next Friday and Saturday. River Falls outshot the Green Knights 16-2 during the mini-game.
The Falcons were forced into the sudden-death setup thanks to a four-goal performance from Shane Dickson. Dickson scored St. Norbert’s first four goals and gave the Green Knights a 4-1 lead after two periods.
Rheese Carlson scored the Falcons’ first goal of the contest at 5:20 of the
first period. Bernard cut the lead to 4-2 on a power-play goal at 6:24 of the third period, but Maris Ziedins scored two minutes later to give the Green
Knights a three-goal advantage.
