From University of Minnesota Crookston Media Relations
By Shawn Smith
WILLISTON, N.D. – The University of Minnesota Crookston hockey team ended their 2021 portion of their schedule with a 7-5 win over Williston State College. The Golden Eagles scored six goals in the second and third periods combined after trailing 3-1 after the first stanza. Minnesota Crookston chalked up two goals in the final 2:28 of the game to break a tie and come away with the victory.
Minnesota Crookston improved to 7-5-2 (2-2-2 WCCHA) with Sunday’s win at Pete Conlin, Sr. Arena in Williston, N.D. The Tetons fall to 7-12 with the loss. Minnesota Crookston is 2-4 in six games against Williston State since returning to the ice for the 2020-21 season. The Golden Eagles are ranked No. 18 in the Central Region, while Williston State is No. 11 in the West Region.
Minnesota Crookston was lifted by two goals from Tyler Zahradka (So., F, Grand Forks, N.D.), who leads the team with 18 goals this season. Dylan Borseth (Jr., F, Williston, N.D.) had a great day against his former school. Borseth played two seasons for Williston State. He had four points with two goals and two assists. Logan Syrup (Fr., F, Park River, N.D.) notched a goal and three assists for the game. Casey Kallock (Sr., D, Alvarado, Minn.) picked up a goal and an assist. Nikolai Rajala (Fr., F, Coleraine, Minn.) finished with a goal and two assists. Tristan Morneault (So., F, Dieppe, New Brunswick) finished with three assists. Dylan Neubauer (Fr., F, Thompson, N.D.) and Austin Ryba (Fr., F, Thief River Falls, Minn.) each added assists.
Rajala continues to lead the Golden Eagles this season with 27 points (11 goals and 16 assists). Syrup is second on the team for the year with 25 points (seven goals and 18 assists), while Zahradka is third in points with 18 goals and four assists.
In goal, Braden Schmitz (Fr., G, Devils Lake, N.D.) got the start and played 12:50 in goal, allowing three goals with six saves. Jake Sumner (So., G, Alta Loma, Calif.) came on in the first period and played 47:10 in between the pipes with two goals allowed and 37 saves for UMN Crookston.
Minnesota Crookston was strong on special teams as they had four power play goals, while not allowing one defensively.
Williston State was guided by two goals and two assists from Wade Auger. Riley Christinson allowed seven goals with 47 saves for the Tetons.
Williston State got on the scoreboard first as they scored 4:16 into the game with Auger finding the net off assists from Jesse Keicher and Brandon Kindopp. The Tetons added a goal just 54 seconds later when Auger scored again, this time on an unassisted tally. Minnesota Crookston trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the first when Zahradka put it in between the pipes off assists from Syrup and Borseth. The Tetons extended their advantage to 3-1 later in the first period when Eric Moran scored off assists from Auger and Jake Huska.
Minnesota Crookston trailed coming out of the first period 3-1. The Golden Eagles made a dent into the Williston State lead just under 16 minutes into the second stanza when Zahradka scored off assists from Morneault and Kallock. The Golden Eagles built off their momentum as they put in a tally with just 1:47 left on the clock in the second stanza as Borseth notched the goal off a Syrup assist. Minnesota Crookston kept it rolling to take a 4-3 lead with just 25 ticks left on the clock in the second as Syrup found the back of the net off assists from Rajala and Borseth.
The Golden Eagles came into the third period with a 4-3 advantage. It wasn’t long until the Tetons knotted up the score 4-4, as Seth Davis scored 34 seconds into the third off assists from Isaac Ellingston and Campbell Jackson. UMN Crookston took the advantage as Kallock lit the lamp with assists from Neubauer and Ryba 2:40 into the third stanza. The Tetons tied the game back up 5-5 with just over 10 minutes run off the clock in the third when Huska notched the tally with an Auger assist. The game remained even until former Teton Borseth broke the draw off assists from Morneault and Rajala. The Golden Eagles added a security goal with 58 seconds remaining as Rajala lit the lamp off assists from Syrup and Morneault.
The Golden Eagles have now achieved more wins than in their inaugural season back on the ice, as UMN Crookston was 6-7-0 during the 2020-21 campaign. Minnesota Crookston is 3-1 in their last four games. The Golden Eagles are currently 4-3-1 against teams ranked regionally.
Minnesota Crookston will return to the ice with road games January 15 and 16 against North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.
(Originally published at https://goldeneaglesports.com/news/2021/12/12/hockey-minnesota-crookston-scores-two-goals-in-final-three-minutes-to-take-down-williston-state-7-5-for-sweep.aspx)
