Box Score OMAHA, Neb. – Minnesota Duluth held off the Omaha hockey team, 3-2, in the opener of their series on Friday night at the CenturyLink Center.

The loss was the third in a row for the Mavericks, dropping them to 8-10-1 overall and 5-3-1-1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, putting them in third place.  UMD improved to 8-8-1 overall and 4-5-0-0 in the NCHC, putting it in a tie with Western Michigan for fifth.

After nearly 35 minutes of scoreless hockey, the Bulldogs opened the scoring just after their fourth power play of the game had expired.  Alex Iafallo settled a bouncing puck at the right point and whipped a shot toward the net that Dominic Toninato tipped pasted Ryan Massa at 14:55.

Then with just 32 seconds remaining in the second period, UMD doubled its lead when Adam Krause one-timed a pass from Iafallo just inside the left post.

The Mavericks finally got on the board during a power play early in the third.  Austin Ortega set up Nick Seeler for a shot from the top of the slot.  Seeler's shot went in off a UMD defender for his second goal of the season.

The Bulldogs got the eventual game-winner off a face-off in the Mavericks' end a little more than two and a half minutes later.  Tony Cameranesi won the puck back to defenseman Andy Welinski who beat Massa with a quick shot through traffic at 8:29.

The Mavs again closed to within a goal when Ian Brady scored on a long-range wrist shot at 17:33.  UNO had pulled Massa for an extra attacker.

But the Bulldogs held on in the closing seconds, even as the Mavericks outshot them 14-5 in the period and 40-30 for the game.

Massa stopped 27 shots while UMD's Aaron Crandall picked up the win with 38 saves.

The two teams conclude the series on Saturday night at 7:07 p.m.