ST. CLOUD - The #6 ranked St. Cloud State men's hockey team used a four goal barrage in the first period to pick up a 5-3 victory over #16 Minnesota Duluth on Friday night.

With the win the Huskies hold on to first place in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

St. Cloud State started the scoring early in the first period with a power play goal from senior captain Nic Dowd. Joey Benik would make it 2-0 at 12:05 in the first with his eighth goal of the season.

Defenseman Kevin Gravel made it 3-0 for the Huskies just moments later at 12:38 in the period. Jimmy Murray would finish the period with another power play goal, making it 4-0 Huskies at the end of the first.

UMD would make things interesting again in the second period, getting goals from Andy Welinski and Kyle Osterberg to make it 4-2 going into the third.

St. Cloud State would reclaim the momentum with an insurance goal from Jimmy Murray in the third. UMD's Austin Farley finished the scoring at 17:01 in the third period to make it 5-3.

The Bulldogs outshot the Huskies 40-31 in the contest. SCSU goalie Ryan Faragher had a big game, making 37 stops in front of the net.

The Huskies are now 16-6-5 and 10-4-3 in the NCHC with the win. Minnesota Duluth falls to 13-10-4 and 8-7-2-2 in the NCHC.

Both teams will face off again on Saturday night at 7:07 p.m. at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

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