DULUTH, Minn. – The Omaha hockey team got goals from two defensemen to battle back for a 2-2 tie with No. 1 Minnesota Duluth on Friday night at AMSOIL Arena.

Ian Brady slid the puck under UMD goalie Hunter Miska with 1:32 gone in the third period to knot the game and send it to overtime.  After a regulation and 3-on-3 overtime, the Bulldogs earned an extra standings points when Alex Iafallo scored in the first shootout round.

The Mavericks improved to 14-10-5 overall and 7-8-2-0/0 in the NCHC, moving into a tie with North Dakota for fourth place.  The Bulldogs are now 17-5-5 and 11-4-2-1/1 in the conference, taking over first place.

UMD broke the scoreless tie 12 seconds into the second period when Dominic Toninato took a pass from Willie Raskob, broke free and roofed a shot over Evan Weninger.

The Mavericks tied the game on a power play halfway through the period.  Austin Ortega fed Luc Snuggerud at the left point, and he wired a shot past Miska at 10:35.

Toninato gave the Bulldogs the lead back when he flipped the puck under the crossbar from in tight for a power play goal at 19:05.

Weninger made 37 saves as UMD outshot the Mavericks 39-25 in the game.  Miska stopped 23.

Tyler Vesel had two assists.

Dating back to the 2014-15 season, the Mavericks have played three straight ties at Minnesota Duluth.  They did not visit UMD last season.

Game two of the series is Saturday at 7:07 p.m.