The Gophers turned in one of their best periods of the season when they needed it the most.

Matthew Wood scored the eventual game-winner early in the third period, one of three Gophers goals in the final frame as Minnesota beat Notre Dame 4-2 on Saturday to even their Big Ten quarterfinal playoff series at a game apiece.

Game 3 will be tonight at 6 p.m. at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The winner will advance to the Big Ten semifinals next weekend.

Nathan Airey, who stopped all 13 shots he faced in relief of Liam Souliere in Friday night’s 3-2 loss, was back in the net for Minnesota. Airey made 20 saves, while Oliver Moore, Connor Kurth and Brodie Ziemer scored for Minnesota.

Hunter Strand and Henry Nelson each scored and Owen Say made 31 saves for the Irish, who may have finished last in the Big Ten but have made the Gophers work hard on every shift this weekend.

The Gophers outshot the Irish 15-7 in the first period but couldn’t manage a push with the game’s first power play. Meanwhile, Notre Dame had the best chance of the opening frame when Maple Grove’s Justin Janicke beat Airey with a shot that rang off the post.

Early in the second, Airey wasn’t so fortunate. Jack Larrigan hit the post with a long shot, and while Airey spun around looking for the rebound, it trickled to Strand all alone in the right faceoff circle. He buried the puck into the open net and Notre Dame had a 1-0 lead.

Five minutes later, Janicke hit the post again, and that had the effect of jump-starting the Minnesota attack. Say stopped point-blank shots from Beckett Hendrickson and Sam Rinzel, then scrambled to cover a rebound in the crease before Mason Nevers could get his stick on it.

That burst of energy paid off when Brennan Ali was sent to the box for tripping. The Gophers cashed in when Moore completed a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play along with Brody Ziemer and Jimmy Snuggerud. Moore’s wrist shot from the slot beat Say to tie the game with 12:30 gone in the second period.

Minutes later, Airey stoned Grant Silianoff on a breakaway, and Say ended the period with a kick save on a Cal Thomas shot to preserve the 1-1 tie.

The Gophers finally got the break they were looking for early in the third period. Jimmy Clark alertly pounced on a Notre Dame turnover at the blue line, skated in and feathered a pass to Kurth for an easy tap-in. Kurth’s 17th goal of the season gave Minnesota its first lead of the weekend with 4:16 gone in the third.

Three minutes later, after the Gophers killed their first power play of the night, Ryan Chesley sprung Kurth for a breakaway. Irish defenseman Michael Mastrodomenico cut off Kurth in the slot, but the junior from Lindstrom stayed with the puck as it trickled behind the net. He then found Wood trailing on the play. Wood beat Say with a short wrister to put the Gophers on top 3-1.

But the Irish wouldn’t go away quietly. Moments after Say turned away a great chance for Snuggerud, Nelson cut Minnesota’s lead to 3-2 when he converted a long rebound in the high slot with 10:18 to play.

With a minute to play and the Irish goalie pulled for an extra attacker, Nelson rang another shot off the post. Airey then stopped another open look by Cole Knuble. Snuggerud eventually controlled the rebound and sprung Ziemer for a breakaway empty-net goal to seal the win.