GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota’s 6-foot-4, 213-pound sophomore defenseman Tyler Kleven is noted more for his bruising physical play than anything with the Fighting Hawks’ hockey team.
His shot might not be heard around the world, but it thundered in like the rocket of a winner it was Friday night. His eventual game-winning goal at 12:54 of the second period led No. 5 UND to a 2-1 win over visiting Colorado College in the opening game of a best-of-3 National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoff quarterfinal round.
His booming goal, his 7th of the year, beat Colorado College goalie Mike Vernon cleanly to the stick side just inside the post to snap a 1-1 tie and give the Fighting Hawks a leg up in the series, in front of 10,475 fans at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
His goal, coupled with the eighth goal of the season by sophomore defenseman Jake Sanderson in the second period, was all the offense UND needed to down the pesky Tigers (9-23-3) who have now lost the last 12 meetings with North Dakota (23-12-1). It also marked the third time since Jan. 29 that all of UND’s goals came from defensemen.
That Kleven would step into a slap shot and beat Vernon before he had a chance to move on the puck surprised none of Kleven’s teammates or coaches.
“It’s one of the hardest shots I’ve seen,” Sanderson said of Kleven. “If he gets it off and through, 95 percent chance it’s going in.”
Pucks going into the were scarce Friday night. The Tigers, who finished seventh in the NCHC, played a tenacious defensive game, taking away time and space. And UND, putting its lineup back together again after a string of injuries to key players, managed just four shots on goal in both the first and last periods and had just 23 for the game.
Sanderson gave UND a 1-0 lead at 2:25 of the second period, beating Vernon stick side with a wrister after a cross-ice feed from junior wing Judd Caulfield. Sanderson, who has battled COVID-19 and then was injured in his first game of the Winter Olympics, was playing in his first contest for UND since Jan. 29, when he also scored a goal.
CC’s Jordan Biro tied it with a wrist shot past UND goalie Zach Driscoll (15 saves) at 3:37 of the second period before Kleven answered with the final goal of the game at 12:54 of the second period.
Kleven finished with a team-best 6 shots on goal, at least double anybody else on his team. Griffin Ness had 3 shots on net, nobody else more than 2.
Sanderson, who suffered an upper body injury in his first game at the Olympics, was cleared medically for full go at UND this week. It is a huge addition for NoDak, to regain the services of one of the nation’s best players.
“I’ve been really excited to come back,” Sanderson said. “My Mom and little brother were in the stands, so I had to do something to thank them for coming. Our whole team played great. We’ve got to finish the job tomorrow (6:07 at REA).”
Freshman center Jake Schmaltz had a big game for UND, too. He assisted on both goals and was named third star of the game by the media, behind Sanderson and Kleven.
Schmaltz was moved up to center the top line with Riese Gaber and Caulfield when Connor Ford came down ill earlier Friday and missed the game. Schmaltz was playing in his first college playoff game at The Ralph.
“It was everything I expected,” Schmaltz said. “We knew it was going to be super hard. They’re (CC) playing for their season. We’re trying to move on. Give them credit. They played super hard tonight.”
It was not UND’s best effort, by any means, but at this time of the year with playoffs starting, the goal is to win and advance, and the Hawks got the job done.
That Kleven’s offense is often overlooked because of his physical toughness, was noted by Schmaltz. “It’s crazy if people underestimate that because his shot is probably the hardest, I’ve ever seen. He’s so sound defensively that I think people might underestimate his offense. He’s a great player, like you saw tonight. That shot was crazy.”
It marks the second time in eight days that Kleven has scored the game-winning goal for UND. His overtime goal at Nebraska Omaha last Friday won the game for UND and gave the Fighting Hawks their third straight Penrose Cup as NCHC champions.
UND gained Gaber, Sanderson and Ethan Frisch back in the lineup after injuries had sidelined all three, but then learned Friday morning that faceoff ace Ford was ill and could not play. “Connor’s a big part of our team, but we plan on playing a bunch more weeks going forward, and we want to make sure he’s in the best health possible to help us try to do something special,” UND coach Brad Berry said.
That Schmaltz could step in and add some offense was a plus. “He’s scored some big goals for us, created some offense,” Berry said. “But what I like about Jake is that he is really responsible. He’s a 200-foot player, he’s very good in his end of the rink. If you want a player that’s predictable to other players, that’s what you want. A guy who is consistent in how he plays and knows where he is on the ice at all times.”
Ditto for Sanderson and Kleven. They seemed to know that UND needed some offensive help from the defense, and once again delivered.
NOTES: With Ford out of the lineup, Louis Jamernik took 20 faceoffs for UND, winning 13 of them. Schmaltz won 12 of 21. . . UND has won 171 times against the Tigers, the most against any UND opponent in the history of the program . . . In a first period in which the two teams combined for just 6 shots on goal, the game was nearly 6 minutes old before CC’s Logan Will got the first shot on net for either team . . . The two assists for Schmaltz tied his career high for points in a game . . . There were just two penalties called in the game, one on each team. Both teams were 0-1 on the power play . . . UND remains ranked No 6 in the Pairwise Rankings, while Colorado College stayed at 42nd.
*Alec Stocker Johnson, UND Athletics
