Providence College Scores Late To Tie North Dakota, 2-2
Junior forward Nick Saracino scores game-tying goal for Friars

Junior forward Nick Saracino scored the game-tying goal for the Friars
Prd Time  Team Score Type Scored By Assists
1st 13:16  NDK1-0 EV Luke Johnson (2)Bryn Chyzyk/1, Troy Stecher/5
1st 18:00  PRV1-1 PP Nick Saracino (2)Anthony Florentino/3, John Gilmour/2
2nd 8:15  NDK2-1 EV Austin Poganski (1)Bryn Chyzyk/2, Troy Stecher/6
3rd 19:21  PRV2-2 EV EA GT Nick Saracino (3)Jake Walman/1
Scoring 1st 2nd 3rd OT Final
Providence  10102
North Dakota  11002
Shots on Goal 1st 2nd 3rd OT SOG
Providence  11711433
North Dakota  6811126
Team Stats and Records  PP PIM SHGF
Providence (1-2-1)  1/7 7/14 0
North Dakota (4-1-1)  0/7 7/14 0
Providence Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Jon Gillies (T, 1-2-1)64:102 5711124
Empty Net0:500      
North Dakota Goaltending MIN GA 1 2 3 OT Saves
Zane McIntyre (T, 4-1-1)65:002 10710431

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- With the extra attacker on and time winding down in the third period, Jake Walman made an athletic play at the offensive blue line and fired a puck toward the North Dakota goal that Nick Saracino tipped high past goaltender Zane McIntyre to tie the Providence College men's hockey game at North Dakota, 2-2.

The fifth-ranked Friars (1-2-1, 0-0-0 HEA) and third-ranked North Dakota(4-1-1, 2-0-0 NCHC) went on to skate to a 2-2 tie at a sold out Ralph Engelstad Arena on Saturday night (11,676).

Saracino (St. Louis, Mo.) scored both Providence goals, while Jon Gillies (South Portland, Maine) made 24 saves. Zane McIntyre stopped 31 shots in the North Dakota net. The Friar penalty kill also held North Dakota to a 0-for-7 mark with the man advantage.

Luke Johnson put North Dakota up 1-0 at 13:16 of the first when he knocked in a loose puck in front from just outside the goal crease, with assists going to Bryn Chyzk and Troy Stecher.

The Friars responded with offensive pressure, including a power-play setup that saw Niko Rufo's (Stoneham, Mass.) wrist shot turned aside by a McIntyre diving glove stop at his left post with six minutes left in the first.

But the Friars, who outshot North Dakota 11-6 in the first period, broke through at 18:00 when Saracino netted his second goal of the year. The power-play tally came just before a Friar 5-on-3 advantage was about to an end. Anthony Florentino (West Roxbury, Mass.) blasted a shot that went wide of the net but caromed to Saracino at the near post, where he flipped it past McIntyre. John Gilmour also assisted on the play.

North Dakota took a 2-1 lead at 8:15 of the second when Chyzk cut down the near side of the ice and across the goal line before dropping the puck off for Austin Poganski at the far post, who knocked the puck into the empty net.

After some big saves by both goaltenders, including Gillies on a Chyzk shorthanded bid and McIntyre on aShane Luke (Dauphin, Manitoba) tip in front, North Dakota took a 2-1 lead to the locker room after two periods of play.

The third period saw much of the same until Saracino was able to tip Walman's shot from the point for the game-tying goal, scored with the extra attacker on. The assist by Walman was his first point as a Friar. It also marked Saracino's fourth career two-goal game.

Neither team could break the deadlock in overtime, though the Friars forced McIntyre into making four saves.

Providence is back in action next weekend when it plays a home-and-home series with Boston University to open its 2014-15 Hockey East slate. Game one will serve as the regular-season home opener at Schneider Arena, with Friday's puck drop slated for 7:00 p.m. The game will be televised locally on CoxSports on OSN.

Notes

The Friars snapped a six-game losing streak to North Dakota, dating back to 1984 ... Nick Saracino matched his career high with two goals (done four times) ... John Gilmour notched an assist for the second consecutive night ... Jake Walman notched his first career assist. ​