Crookston, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston was looking for a sweep of the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Saturday afternoon in the Crookston Sports Center.
 
UND would score two goals in the third period to tie the game at 6-6 at the end of regulation to force the extra period. Neither team scored in overtime as the game ended in a tie. 
 
Minnesota Crookston falls to 2-1-1 on the season, while UND moves to 0-5-1 on the season.
 
The Golden Eagles would get off to a blazing start, scoring just 1:29 into the game on a beautiful goal from Nikolai Rajala (Fr., F, Colleraine, Minn.), who took a feed from Jackson Fuller (Fr., F, Bloomington, Minn.) to make it 1-0 on the power play.
 
The Golden Eagles would take advantage of another Fighting Hawk penalty to make it 2-0 after a Logan Syrup (Fr., F, Park River, N.D.) goal on a beautiful feed from Tyler Zahradka (So., F, Grand Forks, N.D.). Casey Kallock (Sr., D, Alvarado, Minn.) picked up the second assist. It was the first career goal for Syrup, who had three assists in last night's game.
 
Zahradka would then pot his fourth goal of the weekend exactly three minutes later to make it 3-0.
 
The Fighting Hawks wouldn't go down quietly, scoring three goals in the final nine minutes of the period to knot things up at three heading into the first intermission.
 
The second period would be a physical and tight checking period.
 
For the second time in the game, UND would take advantage on the man advantage as Grant McDonald would find the back of the net to give the Fighting Hawks their first lead of the weekend.
 
It would take the Golden Eagles just four minutes to tie things up at four. Syrup would charge hard to the net and get taken down, but was able to find Rajala, who would go tape-to-tape to Zahradka who would put the puck past the outstretched goalie of UND goalie Leo Troje for his fifth goal and sixth point of the weekend.
 
Dylan Neubauer (Fr., F, Thompson, N.D.) would score his first career goal after Kallock would find his stick to give the Golden Eagles back the lead at 5-4. It was Kallock's third assist of the night.
 
Braden Schmitz (Fr., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) would come in relief in net for the Golden Eagles and make six saves in the second period, after Sean O'Connor tallied eight saves on 11 shots in the first period.
 
The third period would be a fun one. Minnesota Crookston and Rajala would score his second goal of the game 17 seconds into the final period to extend the Golden Eagle lead to two at 6-4.
 
UND would score two goals in the final 11 minutes to knock tie the game, including a Matt Akemann goal with 16 seconds left in the game to tie things up at six and send the game to overtime.
 
No teams would score in the overtime, but Neubauer had an excellent chance to win the game in the closing seconds, but was denied by Troje.
 
With 12 goals in the game, you can bet that there was a ton of scoring. Rajala led the Golden Eagles with a career-high four points, with two goals and two assists, finishing the weekend with seven points. Kallock, Zahradka and Syrup would each finish with three points in the game.
 
UND was led by Donovan Randall, who had three points.
 
What's Next
Minnesota Crookston is back in action next weekend as they head on the road to take on Minnesota State Mankato on Friday and Saturday. Faceoff with the Mavericks is set for 10 P.M., on Friday Night.