With Thanksgiving last week, not all of the eight NCHC teams had games slated for the weekend. It was a weekend of out-of-conference play for each of the four teams playing.
UC 8-6-1 (19) vs UND 8-4-4 (6)
For the first time, the Union College Dutchman and University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks faced each other.
The Dutchmen came in red-hot having won seven of their last eight games. That continued Friday night when they easily dispatched the Hawks 4-1. The Dutchmen had goals from four different players and had three players score two points each.
The Hawks tried to mount a comeback after a third-period goal by Christian Wolanin brought them within one goal at 1-2, but Union proceeded to bury them with two more goals, one of which was on an empty net.
Not enough can be said for goalie Jake Kupsky’s performance. The Junior saved 37 shots, a stat in which UND lead UC 38 shots to their 31.
The Hawks took a 1-0 lead Saturday night in the first period. After a scoreless second period, the lead was quickly erased when Union scored two goals in the first two and a half minutes into the third period. Shane Gersich netted his fifth goal of the season to tie the game at 2-2 with a little over three minutes remaining. 2-2 is what the game would end.
It’s worth noting, Cam Johnson’s seemingly minor injury has now set him back a significant amount of time. The former National Champion’s backup, Peter Thome has done an admirable job in relief, but they are simply a better team with Johnson in the net.
UND hosts Western Michigan University in a pivotal conference matchup next weekend. The Broncos sit atop the NCHC standings, while UND is at third. The Hawks will have to improve upon their 1-3 record against WMU last season if they want to win the conference.
CU 8-4-4 (17) vs WMU 9-5-1 (10)
The Broncos hosted the Colgate University Raiders last weekend in a matchup featuring two ranked teams.
The Raiders got out to a good start Friday evening scoring two goals in the first period, with a WMU goal sandwiched between them making the score 2-1 Colgate. Wade Allison, the Broncos ****leading goal scorer added two more goals to his impressive start to the season, one in the first period, and he found the back of the net once more 53 seconds into the second period. That was the last time the Raiders would see a lead. The Broncos added another goal seven minutes later to take a three goals to two advantage. Colgate would go on to tie the game at 3-3, but Lawton Courtnall scored with less than thirty seconds left in the period to held the Broncos to a 4-3 lead, which is all they would need in their 5-3 victory.
CU flipped the script Saturday night in a 5-1 beatdown over the Broncos. Bobby McMann recorded a hat trick en route to the victory for Colgate. The Raiders has scored four goals before WMU got on the board late in the second period.
Colton Point was a wall in net for Colgate as he survived an onslaught from the Broncos. The goaltender saved 37 shots on the 38 have faced.
WMU has a big tilt with North Dakota this weekend at Ralph Engelstad Arena. In the last two season, the Broncos have been very successful in Grand Forks as they have won three of their last four games there.
MU 6-6-2 vs BG 6-5-4
The Red Hawks traveled to Bowling Green, Ohio to face the Bowling Green University Falcons.
Friday night was a back and forth affair. The Hawks got two first period goals, while the Falcons netted one making the score 2-1.
An early goal in the second period added to the Hawks lead, 3-1. The Falcons stormed back with two goals of their own to tie the game 3-3. The tie would not last long as four minutes later, Grant Hutton would score a goal for MU, then add another less than a minute later.
Carson Meyer put the game away with 17 seconds remaining with a power-play goal for the final score, 6-3.
The following night was a much closer game. After each team had scored a goal during the first two periods, the teams were deadlocked at 1-1 heading into the final period. Miami took the 2-1 advantage after a power-play goal 13 minutes into the period. Alec Rauhauser game to the rescue of the Falcons with the equalizer with 38 seconds remaining in the game.
Tyler Spezia completed the comeback with a goal in overtime to give the Falcons the victory.
Miami faces Cornell this weekend. Cornell comes in hot winning nine of their first ten games. Cornell swept the Red Hawks last season in their two games.
NMU 7-7-0 vs UNO 6-5-1
The Northern Michigan Wildcats visited Baxter Arena last weekend to face the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks.
Tristan Keck started off the scoring on Friday night with an early goal for the Mavs to give them a 1-0 lead. The Wildcats would answer with a goal of their own, then take a 2-1 lead just over a minute into the second period.
UNO’s offense then exploded for three straight goals in the second period taking a 4-2 lead they would not relinquish. NMU would score again in the third period, but they could not muster a second goal to tie the game, and the Mavs won 4-3.
Northern Michigan out-shot UNO 30 shots to 20, but Evan Weinger made 27 saves and helped lead the Mavericks to victory.
Both teams failed to score on any of the 11 power plays on the night.
Saturday, UNO dominated. They scored two goals within the first two and a half minutes into the game. With a 2-0 lead, the Mavericks added another two goals, one from Teemu Pulkkinen and another from Zach Jordan, to take a commanding 4-0 lead. NMU scored a goal in the final minute of the second period, but could not make a comeback as they were shut out in the third period.
The Mavericks have their first sweep of the season and have gotten themselves over .500 again.
The Mavericks will stay at home to face the St. Cloud State Huskies this weekend. Last season, the Mavs split the season series 1-1 against SCSU. This time, however, the Huskies will travel to Omaha for the series,
Points Leaders:
1. Troy Terry DU 23 2. Henrik Borgström DU 22
2. Colt Conrad WMU 21
