Box Score

Connor Gaarder broke a 2-2 tie with 1:22 left in the third period to lift North Dakota to a 3-2 victory over Colorado College Saturday night and send UND to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff next weekend in Minneapolis. With the heartbreaking loss, the Tigers saw their season come to an end after a valiant effort against the nation's top team.
 
Gaarder took a pass from Austin Poganski on a 2-on-1 rush and lifted a backhander over CC goalie Tyler Marble to sweep the best-of-three series with the Tigers. The Tigers had some great chances following the goal with Marble on the bench, including a shot by Sam Rothstein into an open net that was blocked by UND's Troy Stecher with 21 seconds left.
 
Colorado College, which ended the 2014-15 campaign with a 6-26-3 record, jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 15:23 mark of the first period when Teemu Kivihalme scored on a one-timer from the left circle that UND goalie Zane McIntyre had no chance of stopping. Alex Roos found Kivihalme with a nice pass from behind the net and Peter Stoykewych also earned an assist on Kivihalme's fifth goal of the season.
 
North Dakota (27-7-3) struck 53 seconds later as Jordan Schmaltz sent a shot from the right circle that deflected off CC's Scott Wamganz' stick and went over Marble's shoulder into the net. Nick Schmaltz and Michael Parks assisted on the play.
 
The Tigers had a golden opportunity to take the lead as they were awarded a penalty shot with 14:28 left in the second period after North Dakota was called for covering up the puck in the crease. Cody Bradley took the shot but McIntyre gloved it to keep the score at 1-1.
 
Brendan O'Donnell scored his second goal of the weekend midway through the second period with a one-timer from the right circle after taking a cross-ice pass from Nick Mattson, who recorded his fourth point and third assist of the series.
 
CC gained a bunch of momentum when it killed 1:31 of 5-on-3 early in the third period and Luc Gerdes gave the Tigers an additional spark when he evened the game at 2-2 at the 6:10 mark final period with a beautiful wraparound that just snuck inside the post. Bradley and Hunter Fejes each earned an assist on Gerdes' fourth tally of the campaign.
 
Neither team connected on the power play Saturday as CC was 0-for-2 and UND was 0-for-4. CC outshot North Dakota, 33-31, and held a 25-19 advantage in the last two periods. McIntyre made 31 saves while Marble had 28 for CC.
 
"The character of this team and how much these guys have given to this program is impressive," CC head coach Mike Haviland said. "They worked extremely hard and did everything we asked them to do."   
 
Saturday's game was the final contest for the six CC seniors, Stoykewych, Wamsganz, Aaron Harstad, Charlie Taft, Ian Young and Jordan DiGiando.
 
"It was very emotional in the locker room," Haviland said. "To see those leaders challenge our younger guys every day and help them grow was a pleasure. The future is bright for this program."