The Colorado College Tigers have been plugging away at becoming one of the top hockey teams in the country all season, with little to show for their efforts in terms of wins and losses against ranked opponents.

After going 0-5-1 against ranked foes this season, Colorado College made a statement Friday, beating No. 1 North Dakota 3-2 in overtime in Grand Forks, N.D.

Sophomore center Noah Laba scored his second goal of the game and the winner 35 seconds into overtime, skating coast to coast and putting his shot over the left leg of North Dakota goalie Ludvig Persson from pointblank range to give Colorado College the upset. The goal marked three unanswered scores from the Tigers, who trailed the hosts 2-0 midway through the second period.

Following an unlucky 2-0 defeat Dec. 2 against No. 12 Arizona State in which Colorado College went scoreless despite taking 38 shots, the Tigers seemingly had a “eureka” moment offensively in the second period Friday night.

At 13:40 in the period, senior defenseman and assistant captain Jack Millar took a shot from just behind the right circle. The puck deflected off Laba’s stick high and into the net.

Nearly six minutes later on the power play after a cross-checking call to the Hawks, CC senior defenseman Chase Foley found fellow defenseman Max Burkholder, who blasted a one-timer from the left circle that wrapped around the inside of the net before Persson could react.

The goal was the freshman’s third on the season, the team’s first power-play goal since Nov. 10, and the equalizer for Colorado College.

If the Tigers’ offensive prowess was tested in the second period, their defensive skill was weighed and measured in the third. The Fighting Hawks came out with a sense of urgency and desperation, outshooting the Tigers 11-0 in the final frame of regulation. The Tigers stood tall as group

defensively in the third, but netminder Kaidan Mbereko was in a class of his own.

The Tigers’ sophomore goalie was steady throughout the contest, recording 11 saves in the third and 32 saves on the evening. None were bigger than a pair late in the period. With about 10 minutes left, Mbereko stopped an shot attempt from North Dakota forward Dylan James, who was on a breakaway. James had previously opened the scoring for the Hawks with a goal at 7:28 in the first period.

Mbereko showcased his skill again with a glove save later in the third.

The Tigers net a massive two points toward conference standings from the overtime win to improve to 8-6-1 overall on the season and 3-4 in National Collegiate Hockey Conference play. Colorado College and North Dakota face off again Saturday at 5 p.m.