The University of North Dakota blew a 2-0 first-period lead and gave up five straight goals over the next two periods to drop a 5-2 National Collegiate Hockey Conference decision to the University of Minnesota-Duluth on Saturday night in AmsOil Arena in Duluth. Shane Gersich and Austin Poganski scored in the opening period for the Fighting Hawks (12-8-6 overall, 6-6-2-2 NCHC) before Jared Thomas score once and Scott Perunovich scored twice in the second period and Parker Mackay and Riley Tufte each tallied in the third period for the Bulldogs (13-9-3 overall, 7-7 NCHC). The sweep left the 14th-ranked Bulldogs just a point behind No. 7 UND in the chase for the fourth and final home ice spot in the NCHC playoffs. Cam Johnson had 28 saves in goal for UND, while UMD’s Hunter Shepard stopped 18 shots. The Fighting Hawks host league-leading Denver next weekend in Grand Forks. (Check out more photos from Russ Hons here.)