KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Minnesota Duluth outscored Western Michigan during a key two minutes late in the second period en route to a 6-3 NCHC victory Friday night at Lawson Ice Arena.
The Bulldogs and Broncos wrap up the regular season at 6 p.m. Saturday in Kalamazoo.
Bedlam broke out in the second period with the Bulldogs and Broncos combining for seven goals, including five in a two-minute span -- three for UMD, two for Western Michigan -- during the final five minutes of the second.
Junior defenseman Willie Corrin gave UMD a 1-0 lead over Western 4 1/2 minutes into the second, but the Broncos tied the game 3 minutes later with a power play goal by sophomore center Sheldon Dries.
UMD senior wing Justin Crandall recorded a power play goal for the Bulldogs at 16:18 of the second after sophomore defenseman Willie Raskob toe dragged a Bronco defenseman before dishing to Crandall, who had a wide-open net to shoot at on the opposite side of the crease from Raskob.
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Crandall’s power play goal was the first of five goals in two minutes. Western junior center Sam Mellor tied the game at 16:59 with his first goal of the season, freshman forward Karson Kuhlman gave UMD the lead again at 17:46, Western senior forward Justin Kovacs tied the game a third time at 17:59 and junior defenseman Andy Welinski gave the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead at the second intermission with his long-range blast at 18:18 of the second.
UMD sophomore center Dominic Toninato, who missed five games in February, gave UMD a two-goal lead midway through the third period with a snipe to the far, top corner. Toninato later added an empty-net, end-to-end, buzzer-beating goal for the final margin. They were the first goals since the middle of December for the Bulldogs' leading goal scorer.
