CROOKSTON, Minn. – The University of Minnesota Crookston hockey team scored three goals in the final eight minutes of the game to come from behind and defeat Dakota College at Bottineau 5-3 Saturday, December 4 at the Crookston Sports Center. Mitchell Coleman (Fr., F, Hatton, N.D.), Tyler Zahradka (So., F, Grand Forks, N.D.), and Logan Syrup (Fr., F, Park River, N.D.) scored the three UMN Crookston goals late in the third period to secure the victory.

The Golden Eagles moved to 5-4-2 (2-2-2) with Saturday's victory over the Lumberjacks. Dakota College at Bottineau falls to 6-5-1 with the loss. The Lumberjacks are ranked as the No. 2 team in the West region. Minnesota Crookston is 4-2-1 at home this season.

UMN Crookston was led on the day by Nikolai Rajala (Fr., F, Coleraine, Minn.) with one goal and two assists. Zahradka added one goal and an assist, as did Syrup. Coleman scored his first career goal for the Golden Eagles, which proved to be a crucial one as he tied the game. Jackson Fuller (Fr., F, Bloomington, Minn.) added his third goal of the season. Gunner Ferrier (So., D, Baudette, Minn.), Tristan Morneault (So., F, Dieppe, New Brunswick), Dylan Neubauer (Fr., F, Thompson, N.D.), and Dylan Borseth (Jr., F, Williston, N.D.) each added assists. With Rajala's three point game he now has a team-high 20 points with seven goals and 13 assists. Syrup has 19 points on the season with six goals and 13 assists, as does Zahradka with 15 goals and four assists.

Braden Schmitz (Fr., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) got the win in goal after returning to the ice after missing games due to injury. Schmitz had 25 saves for the game and allowed three goals.

The Lumberjacks secured goals from Chayse Haberman, Geoffrey Dick, and Zane McDonald. In goal, Jordan Berschiminsky allowed five goals and had 36 saves.

Minnesota Crookston notched 41 saves for the game, while Dakota College at Bottineau had 28. On special teams, UMN Crookston went 2-of-8 on the power play while they forced the Lumberjacks to 0-of-4 on power plays.

The Lumberjacks jumped on to the scoreboard first when Haberman scored less than three minutes in off assists from Eric Hildebrand and Phillip Parisien.

UMN Crookston knotted it up just over four minutes into the first period as Fuller found the back of the net off assists from Morneault and Ferrier. Ferrier's assist marked his first of the season.

The Golden Eagles took the 2-1 lead in the 19^th minute of the first period when Rajala launched one in off assists from Borseth and Syrup.

The two teams would skate evenly in the second period as neither team found the back of the net.

The third period was played at a ferocious pace by both teams. Both teams also spent a lot of time in the penalty box in the third period. Minnesota Crookston had two penalties in the final stanza, while the Lumberjacks had seven.
Dakota College at Bottineau evened up the tally 2-2 41 seconds into the third as McDonald scored off an assist from Ian Amsbaugh. The Lumberjacks put Minnesota Crookston on edge as they took a 3-2 advantage with a goal by Geoffrey Dick off assists from J.J. Adams and Brent Janssens.

Dakota College at Bottineau remained in the lead until the 13^th minute of the game. In what might have been the game's most crucial play, Neubauer won the face-off playing the puck to Coleman who turned around and slotted the puck past the goalie to even up the game 3-3. Less than two minutes later, Zahradka's team-leading 15^th goal and fifth power play goal put the Golden Eagles ahead 4-3 off a Rajala assist. Minnesota Crookston iced the victory with a power play goal from Syrup off assists from Rajala and Zahradka.

Minnesota Crookston will play the Lumberjacks in a second game Sunday, December 5 at 1 p.m. at the Crookston Sports Center.