ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA – Trevor Gooch and Erik Middendorf each scored a first-period goal and Alex Leclerc had 33 saves as Colorado College skated to a 2-2 tie against No. 1-ranked St. Cloud State Friday night at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.
The teams combined for a scoreless 5-on-5 overtime period, therefore Colorado College (11-13-4, 5-8-3-0 NCHC) snapped St. Cloud State’s streak of 12 consecutive wins at home to start the season.
After CC’s Westin Michaud was assessed a seldom-called face-off violation to begin the 3-on-3 stanza, Ryan Poehling scored a 4-on-3 goal one minute into the frame to give the Huskies (20-4-3, 12-2-3-2 NCHC) the extra point in the NCHC standings. The Tigers remain in sixth-place in the NCHC with 18 points, just four behind fifth-place North Dakota
“We came into a building against the No. 1 in the country that had not lost at home and took them to the brink,” Colorado College head coach Mike Haviland said. “I am proud of how we played the entire game.”
Nick Poehling opened the scoring just 1:17 into the game by deflecting a shot from Jack Ahcan over Leclerc’s shoulder.
During a Colorado College power play just a few minutes later, Nick Poehling had two point-blank chances, but Leclerc stopped both to keep the Tigers within one.
“They (St. Cloud State) came out and really made some plays but Leclerc stood tall for us,” Haviland said.
Trevor Gooch evened the game at 1-1 when he collected the puck and sent a shot from behind the SCSU net off the pads of Husky goalie David Hrenak that trickled over the goal line for his ninth goal of the season at the 6:02 mark.
Erik Middendorf put the Tigers ahead at the 9:38 mark of the first with a deflection of his own, tipping a shot from Cole McCaskill past Hrenak for his sixth of the campaign.
The Tiger defense was stellar in the second period, allowing just six shots and holding St. Cloud State scoreless in the middle frame for just the third time this season.
The Huskies evened things up at the 8:17 mark of the third when Jack Poehling skated out of the corner and beat Leclerc from the high slot to send the game to overtime.
St. Cloud State outshot the Tigers, 37-25, and neither team capitalized on the power play during the 65 minutes of action. CC was 0-for-3, while SCSU was 0-for-2. Hrenak finished the game with 23 saves.
