BOSTON -- Kevin Roy scored with 2:36 remaining in regulation, and Clay Witt made 25 saves in goal to lead Northeastern to a 3-2 victory against No. 3 Minnesota on Saturday night at Matthews Arena.
The win marks the third in the past four games for Northeastern (3-9-1), while Saturday's win is also the 500th all-time victory for the Huskies at Matthews Arena and gives NU its first home win against a top-five opponent in the USCHO poll since defeating No. 1 Boston College on Oct. 13, 2012.
Dustin Darou and Brendan Collier also scored for Northeastern, their first goals as Huskies, who outshot the Gophers 40-27 in the game. Minnesota received power play tallies from Justin Kloos and Kyle Rau, while Adam Wilcox had 37 saves in goal.
Northeastern was the beneficiary of an early five-minute power play just 2:39 into the contest when Mike Reilly was issued a penalty and a game misconduct for hitting from behind. During the extended power play, the Huskies tossed five shots on goal, but could not solve Wilcox.
Minnesota capitalized on its first and only chance on the man-advantage midway through the stanza when Justin Kloos hammered home a one-timer from the left dot off a pass down from Ben Marshall at the point, beating Witt off the right post and in for Kloos' seventh of the season.
Northeastern struck back with 1:37 left in the period when Darou potted his first collegiate tally, taking the puck around the back of the cage before sending a low shot on goal that Wilcox stopped with his pad. Darou, however, followed his own rebound and sent it home to tie the game at one after a lengthy review.
The Huskies continued to put pressure on Minnesota into the second period, outshooting the Gophers 12-9 in the frame. Collier put NU ahead 2-1 six minutes into the frame when he one-timed a pass from Dylan Sikura along the right wall for Collier's first of the season and as a Husky. After Adam Reid knocked the puck over to Sikura, Sikura made a cutback move at the hashmarks before feeding Collier with the pass leading to the goal.
Minnesota was awarded a five-on-three with 10:30 left in the frame and leveled the score at two when Kyle Rau redirected a hard pass from Connor Reilly at the point. It was Rau's fourth goal of the season.
The Gophers had a chance to go up 3-2 in the opening minutes of the third period when Sam Warning fanned on a shot with Witt briefly out of position, but the Huskies were able to recover and clear the puck out of the zone. Witt would keep the Gophers at bay throughout the remainder of the third period, making 12 saves in the final 20 minutes of play.
Northeastern went ahead for good with 2:36 left in regulation as Roy finished off a strong play from his linemates Dalen Hedges and Mike McMurtry, ending with Roy taking the puck out from below the goal line and ripping a shot that beat Wilcox shortside to make it 3-2.
Minnesota pulled Wilcox with less than a minute left, but NU held the Gophers to one shot on goal in the final 46 seconds of regulation to seal the win.
