Riese Gaber joins rare company by scoring extra-attacker, game-tying goal and OT winner in same night

Feb. 18—GRAND FORKS — UND fans witnessed a rare sight Friday during

UND's 4-3 overtime win over St. Cloud State

in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Trailing by a goal late in the third period, coach Brad Berry pulled goaltender Drew DeRidder for an extra attacker. Not only did UND deliver the game-tying goal, it also went on to win it in overtime.

It marked only the sixth time in the last 30 years that UND has pulled its goalie and tied the game late in the third before winning it in overtime.

The last time was March 15, 2021, when Jasper Weatherby scored the tying goal and Gavin Hain buried the overtime winner against the University of Denver in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Faceoff semifinals. The Fighting Hawks won the tournament the next night.

On Friday, junior Riese Gaber delivered both the tying and winning goals against the No. 6 Huskies.

The last time the same player scored an extra-attacker, game-tying goal and an overtime winner on the same night was Grand Forks' current mayor, Brandon Bochenski. He did it in Game 2 of the 2003 Western Collegiate Hockey Association first-round playoff series against Denver.

That's the only other time it's happened in at least 30 years.

"That was probably the coolest moment of my life. . . one of the coolest moments," Gaber said. "That was on my bucket list to score one of those at The Ralph. This place means so much to me. It's pretty cool to have that."

The tying goal came off the rush with just 1:27 left in the third.

Hain, holding the puck along the left boards, spotted Gaber open in the right circle. Hain threaded the cross-ice pass to Gaber, who rifled the puck past St. Cloud State goalie Dominic Basse.

"We took an icing call there just before the last five-minute media timeout," UND coach Brad Berry said. "We had to take (a timeout) because our guys were gassed on the ice. We prepared our six-on-five during that timeout, thinking we might get one more (timeout), but who knows. We might have pulled the goalie earlier."

UND, which has been the country's best team on the power play this season (30.8 percent), proved to be adept at six-on-five, too.

"I thought they did a good job," Berry said. "They got organized in the offensive zone. The eyes were rolling a little bit when we hit the post early on it. We had a great opportunity. But they stuck with it and found a way to make a play. Riese capitalized on the back door. Once you tie the game, then you get momentum."

In overtime, faceoffs were critical for possession.

UND won two of three faceoffs — both leading to chances.

On the first shift, defenseman Chris Jandric took a puck to the net and tried to go five-hole on Basse, but the 6-foot-6 netminder closed it down.

"I thought our guys did a good job of saying, 'You know what? We're not waiting for a shootout. We want to win this thing,'" Berry said.

After a Louis Jamernik V faceoff win, UND scored the winner on a setup from National Collegiate Hockey Conference rookie of the year candidate Jackson Blake to Gaber.

"It was very important, especially coming back from behind," Gaber said. "It was big for our confidence. We got ourselves into a position where we can take a weekend on a Saturday night in our own building. We're going to be ready right off the puck drop. I'm looking forward to that."

Berry also credited the fans for helping fuel the comeback.

"They were amazing," Berry said. "That's what you need. When you have a building of 12,000 people, you've got to give them a reason to cheer. That's what I thought tonight. Even though we didn't score early, we played the right way. We played on our toes and assertive. I think the fans appreciate that."

Five of the last six times UND has scored an extra-attacker, game-tying goal and won in overtime were in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

"Tonight, (the fans) were a big part of us tying the game and winning the game at the end," Berry said. "Now, we have to do it tomorrow. We're going to have a big crowd again. We need to make sure we come back with even a better effort."

By UND, last 30 years

Feb. 17, 2023 — vs. SCSU (Riese Gaber 18:33 third, Riese Gaber 1:36 OT)

March 15, 2021 — vs. Denver (Jasper Weatherby 18:33 third, Gavin Hain 8:37 OT), NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals

Nov. 14, 2015 — vs. Miami (Nick Schmaltz 18:26 third, Luke Johnson 1:23 OT)

Nov. 1, 2014 — vs. Air Force (Drake Caggiula 19:31 third, Bryn Chyzyk 4:53 OT), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game

Dec. 1, 2012 — at Colorado College (Dillon Simpson 19:47 third, Drake Caggiula :51 OT)

March 15, 2003 — vs. Denver (Brandon Bochenski 16:42 third (pp), Brandon Bochenski :46 OT), WCHA first round Game 2