GRAND FORKS, N.D.—North Dakota and Colorado College skated to a 4-4 Western Collegiate Hockey Association tie Saturday that didn’t damage either team in the league race.
Despite falling into second place behind Denver, UND (15-6-4, 20-11-4) can still win the league title outright if it sweeps its last three games. Meanwhile, the Tigers (12-8-6, 16-9-9) gained a point that kept them in third place and strengthened their chances for a top-five finish that would give them home ice for the first round of the league playoffs.
The Fighting Sioux outshot the Tigers 5-0 in the 5-minute overtime and also had Matt Watkins ring a wrist shot off the post.
Colorado College gained the tie when Chad Rau scored on a wraparound with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Sioux had taken a 4-3 lead earlier in the third period on freshman Brad Hextall’s second goal. On a rush, Hextall’s slapshot clanged off the far post, but bounced back into the net off the body of retreating Colorado College forward David Civitarese.
UND’s Matt Watkins opened scoring in the see-saw game with a wrist shot from the left faceoff circle. The Tigers tied it when Mike Testwuide was set up for an easy tap-in by Matt Overman’s pass across the crease.
The Sioux took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission when Hextall deflected Ryan Duncan’s shot past Colorado College goalie Ryan Bachman.
Colorado College grabbed a 3-2 lead in the second period behind the play of Bill Sweatt. His centering pass set up Rau for the tie, then Sweatt scored on a wrist shot from the slot for the lead.
UND’s Darcy Zajac tied the score with six seconds left in the second period on a rebound goal.
Bachman made 32 saves, while Brad Eidsness had 24 for the Sioux, who have gone 12-1-2 in their last 15 games.
