The top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gopher men's hockey team fought back from a two goal deficit in the third period to earn a 4-4 tie with North Dakota Saturday night at Mariucci Arena. Minnesota gained three points on the weekend with the tie and Friday's 5-1 win.

Saturday's game was a classic Minnesota-UND showdown with chippy play, lots of chirping, a boisterous crowd and exciting offense.

Eden Prairie native Danny Kristo briefly quieted the Mariucci Arena crowd of 10,256 when his goal at 11:39 of the first period gave UND a 1-0 lead.

Gophers junior defenseman Jake Parenteau answered quickly, and re-energized the crowd, with a goal on a put-back just 1:11 later to tie the game at 1.

Corban Knight scored halfway through the second period on a breakaway to give UND a 2-1 lead. Derek Rodwell hit Knight with a perfect pass up the middle to spring the breakaway.

Just under three minutes later Rocco Grimaldi made it 3-1 in favor of North Dakota with a snipe past Gopher goalie Adam Wilcox from the right wing circle.

Gopher forward Sam Warning's goal at 13:48 of the second cut the UND lead to 3-2 heading into the locker room for the second intermission.

Drake Caggiula gave North Dakota a 4-2 lead seven minutes into the third period, and it looked as though North Dakota was going to cruise to victory.

However, Nick Bjugstad scored his thirteenth goal of the season at 11:10 to cut the Gopher deficit to a single goal. Nate Condon tied the game with under three minutes left in regulation to earn the game's first star.

With the tie the Gophers are 17-3-4 overall and 9-3-4 in WCHA play. North Dakota is now 13-7-4 overall and 8-4-4 in WCHA action.

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