DULUTH, Minn. -- Matt Niskanen's even-strength goal 1:50 into overtime lifted Minnesota Duluth past the Michigan Tech hockey team by a score of 2-1 in front of 3,839 Friday night at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center. Sophomore Malcolm Gwilliam (Kamloops, B.C.) provided his fifth goal of the season and second in as many games for the Huskies.

Tech outshot the home team, 8-5, in the opening period, but neither squad was able to light up the scoreboard.

The Bullldogs tallied the game's first goal at the 9:24 mark of the second period, as Bryan McGregor turned a penalty-killing sequence into a scoring play for UMD. Matt Niskanen sent a pass from the Bulldogs' zone to the left wing to Mason Raymond, who then found McGregor in front. McGregor quickly poked the puck past a sprawling Rob Nolan (Sherwood Park, Alta.) on the netminder's stick side to put UMD ahead 1-0.

The shorty was the first allowed by Tech this year.

Michigan Tech (8-11-2, 5-8-2 WCHA) responded with a tally of its own with just 38 seconds left in the middle stanza when Gwilliam used hard work to even the score at 1-1. Gwilliam's unassisted lamplighter came after he grabbed a bouncing puck away from a Bulldog defender in the right circle and backhanded a shot up high past UMD goaltender Josh Johnson's left shoulder.

Minnesota Duluth (6-13-3, 3-10-2 WCHA) held an 8-5 shot advantage in the second period.

The Huskies held the upper hand for much of the third period, but neither team was able to solve the opposing goalie, forcing an overtime session.

Shots were tied at 20 each after the final period of regulation.

In the extra frame the Bulldogs fired two shots on goal, while holding the Huskies without a shot.

The gamewinner came off a Niskanen slap shot from the top of the point that drilled the post and bounced into the back of the net. Jay Cascalenda and Jordan Fulton gained assists on the goal.

Each squad's power play units were held in check -- Tech in six chances and UMD in five opportunities.

Nolan made a total of 20 saves for the Huskies and saw his record drop to 5-6-1, while Johnson improved to 2-2-0 after stopping 19 shots for the victors.

Michigan Tech and Minnesota Duluth will meet again Saturday night in the series finale at the DECC. The opening faceoff is slated for 7:07 p.m.

Notes: Saturday night's game will be televised live in the greater Duluth area on Channel 10 and 13 ... Steve Jezierski and Kraig Karakas will provide the play-by-play and color commentary for the broadcasts ... Gwilliam is on a two-game goal streak after tallying tonight ... UMD's win Friday was its first against MTU at the DECC since Jan. 24, 2004, when the Bulldogs recorded an 8-3 triumph ... The Huskies are now 1-2-2 in overtime games in 2006-07 ... Tech has held its last three opponents scoreless on the power play, a span of 15 chances with a man advantage.