The Minnesota men’s hockey team scored an empty net goal to defeat Michigan Tech, 5-3, and extend its 10-game unbeaten streak in the first of two victories the squad notched against the Huskies last weekend.

Following the victories, Minnesota leapfrogged all the way up to the top of the rankings, claiming the top seed after Monday’s rankings were released.

After a scoreless first period, the slots opened up early in the second interval. Junior winger Dan DeLisle scored his first goal of the season to give the Bulldogs the lead when defenseman, Drew Olson, blasted a shot from the blue line, which DeLisle redirected into the net past Huskies goaltender, Josh Robinson.

Less than five minutes later, the Huskies equalized on Milos Gordic, his seventh of the season. Gordic picked up his own rebound after he raced down the boards and got a long shot off, and finished on his second chance. The Huskies then grabbed their only lead of the game less than a minute-and-a-half later when Alex MacLeod scored from the point.

Despite the quick rebound, the Bulldogs didn’t lay down, instead unleashing a four-goal attack that prevented the Huskies from getting anything going on offense.

Joe Basaraba tied the game at two before the end of the second period, and then a power play goal from Jack Connolly put the Bulldogs back in front.

A shorthanded goal from Keegan Flaherty opened up a two goal lead for the Bulldogs, then, with the Huskies on the power play, the junior winger skated in behind the defense and scored on the break.

The Huskies brought the score within one when David Johnstone netted a score with an extra attacker on the ice, but the Bulldogs responded by scoring on the Huskies empty net to kill the game off.

Power play derails Merrimack

Merrimack committed 14 penalties against Providence in its 6-1 loss over the weekend.

The Friars converted five power plays into goals, claiming their second win over the formerly top-ranked Warriors.

Merrimack committed five penalties in the first period alone, including a10-minute misconduct by winger Ryan Flanigan, which prevented it from getting into any rhythm on offense. The trend continued through the break, as Jordan Heywood was assessed a game misconduct for contact to the head just 45 seconds into the second period.

Providence opened up on MC from that point on, taking advantage of 23 minutes on the power play to tally four consecutive goals in the second period. Drew Brown scored his third and fourth goals of the season and Tim Schaller also found the net. Myles Harvey also converted halfway through the fourth penalty to put Providence up, 4-0.

Merrimack got on the board with an extra attacker early in the third period, but the goal didn’t change the tide of the game.

Chris Rooney scored the Friars first even-strength goal before Matt Bergland added a power-play goal later on in the game to go along with his three assists

Merrimack fell to No. 5 in the nation, while Providence rose to No. 20.

Huskies dismantle Irish

It only took 30 seconds for Northeastern to carve open the Notre Dame defenses, using an offensive outburst to pick up a 9-2 win over the Fighting Irish last weekend.

Sophomore forward Braden Pimm slotted a rebound off the first shot past Irish goaltender, Mike Johnson, for the game’s first score and Adam Reid netted the second goal. Dan Cornell followed up with NU’s third goal later.

Johnson made no saves while allowing those three goals into his net, and was subsequently pulled for Steven Summerhays.

The Huskies’ attack failed to find the net on their next six shots. It appeared that Summerhays stifled the NU skaters for the remainder of the period, until Cody Ferriero scored with 36 seconds to go.

It wasn’t until after Garrett Vermeersch scored twice to open the second period that ND was able to get on the board, but the game was well in hand at that point.

T.J. Tynan slipped a shot past winning goaltender Chris Rawlings while on the power play to close the period.

With the loss, Notre Dame dropped five spots down to No. 7 in the nation.

Jeffery Okerman can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @MDC_Okerman.