Two goals in first 3:20 pace North Dakota in win at DU
DENVER– The North Dakota Fighting Hawks wasted little time in erasing a sour taste from their mouths, as two quick goals set up a 5-1 win over host Denver Monday evening at Magness Arena to split the series. UND was coming off a 4-1 loss a night prior and sent a message early that this game would trend differently.
Matt Kiersted’s goal just 18 seconds in provided the spark. Just over three minutes later, Grant Mismash added another and the third-ranked Hawks seized control and never relinquished it.
Kiersted’s goal came off a rebound to solve Magnus Chrona. After the puck squirted loose from a tie-up behind the net, Jacob Bernard-Docker walked it to the high slot and fired a shot on net that caromed right to Kiersted on Chrona’s right. The senior deposited it into the net to get the momentum rolling for the visitors.
Mismash’s goal came as the Pioneers failed to clear the zone on a pair of opportunities. The first allowed Mismash to find it in the corner and center a pass to Jordan Kawaguchi. It was up for grabs in front until Mismash circled in from behind the net to quickly collect the loose change and tuck it past Chrona for a 2-0 advantage.
That duo would be in on the third UND goal as well. Kiersted led the charge, threading a pass through the neutral zone to Mismash. He spun at the line to gain entry to the zone and in one motion fed a back-handed pass to Kawaguchi alone on the right. Kawaguchi raced to the dot and roofed one over Chrona’s glove for a comfy 3-0 edge.
That would seemingly be more than enough for UND goalie Adam Scheel, who stopped 32 shots for his ninth win of the season. He did, however, have to fight off a furious Denver comeback attempt in the third which featured a five-minute major power play and two minutes of 5-on-3. In that stretch, Scheel made plenty of big saves to keep the Pios off the board, but his defense deserves credit for laying out and blocking shots. Officially, North Dakota was credited with 21 blocked shots with many of those coming as Denver fought tooth and nail to unsuccessfully solve Scheel.
UND (10-3-1) killed both power plays and went perfect for the series on the kill, 9-for-9, including all seven in Monday’s win. North Dakota has now wiped away 33 of the last 34 opponent man-advantages.
DU (5-8-1) did finally break through with just under three minutes left on Slava Demin’s goal to make it 3-1. UND, however, got an empty-net goal from Gavin Hain and a late power-play tally from Josh Rieger to seal the deal.
Junior Mark Senden recorded assists on the first two and final two goals to give him a career-high four assists in the win. Mismash, Kiersted and Kawaguchi all tallied a goal and an assist each.
North Dakota, after 14 consecutive games away from home to start the season, will finally make its first appearance at the Ralph Engelstad Arena this coming weekend. UND will host Colorado College for a Saturday-Sunday series with both games starting at 6:07 p.m. Central on Midco Sports Network, nchc.tv and the Home of Economy Fighting Hawks radio network.
NOTES
*North Dakota moves two points ahead of St. Cloud State in the NCHC race with 29 points and a game in hand.
*UND will play seven of its final 10 regular season games at home.
*North Dakota plays six games with Omaha (three home, three away) and two-game home series each against Colorado College and Denver.
*Rieger has two career goals and both have come at Magness Arena.
