COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (UND Athletics)– Following a pair of comeback victories over Lindenwood, two North Dakota players were honored by the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) for the first time in their careers on Monday.
Junior Tyler Kleven was named the NCHC Defenseman of the Week while freshman Ben Strinden garnered NCHC Rookie of the Week, as the Fargo, N.D. products shined in the two wins over the Lions.
Kleven had a massive weekend offensively, scoring four goals in a sweep of Lindenwood, including both game-winning goals. The Ottawa Senators prospect tallied two goals both nights for the first two multi-goal games of his college career. They were only his second and third career multi-point games as a Fighting Hawk, as well. In Friday’s series opener, Kleven helped UND rally from 3-1 down to a 4-3 win. He blasted a power play goal to make it a 3-2 game, before scoring the game-winner on the power play with 3:15 left in regulation. A night later, Kleven did it again, helping turn a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 victory. On Saturday he tied the game at 2-2 even strength, then scored his third power play goal and second game-winner of the weekend to break the 2-2 tie with 8:04 left in regulation.
The Fargo, N.D., native completed the series with four points, tying for the most of any NCHC player on the weekend, while his four goals led all NCHC players. He fired a career-high seven shots on goal in Saturday’s win and ended with an NCHC-best 11 shots on the weekend. Kleven also posted a +3 rating, while helping UND finish the weekend 3-for-7 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill against the Lions.
Kleven now has seven career game-winning goals, tying for the second-most among defensemen in North Dakota history. On the season, he now has five goals and 11 points after entering with only one goal and seven points all year.
Strinden doubled his season point total last weekend, picking up three points in the sweep of Lindenwood. In Friday’s opener, he dished out the primary assist on the game-tying goal in the third period to complete a two-goal comeback as UND went on to win, 4-3. The next night, he recorded his second career multi-point game, again helping North Dakota rally for a 4-2 win. Trailing 2-0, Strinden scored his second goal of the season early in the second period to get UND on the board, then assisted on the game-tying goal less than five minutes later.
The rookie completed the series with a goal and two assists, while firing four shots on goal, including three on Saturday. He also posted a +2 rating. Strinden now has two goals and four assists for six points in 12 games this season.
North Dakota remains home for a showdown against No. 12 Western Michigan on Friday and Saturday night from Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
