2023-10-30 01:11:55
It was a bit of an odd weekend in the NCHC.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was Miami (4-1-1) picking up an overtime win and a tie once morest No. 13/16-ranked Arizona State (4-1-1). It was a tough weekend to get a sweep. The lone sweep of the weekend was No. 12/11 Minnesota Duluth (3-2-2) getting swept at No. 11/12 Cornell (2-0).
Here’s a bit of a closer look at the weekend’s results:
North Dakota wins big, ties Minnesota State
Fifth-ranked North Dakota (4-1-1) had an easy time in the series opener, but struggled to find the same offensive success in the second game once morest Minnesota State (2-3-1).
Jackson Blake
Contributed / University of North Dakota
In the opener, sophomore Jackson Blake, a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick, had two goals and an assist and sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin, a Philadelphia Flyers draft pick, added a goal and two assists for the Fighting Hawks in a 6-2 win.
The Mavericks, though, bounced back for a 2-2 tie in Game 2. North Dakota forward Hunter Johannes, a graduate student transfer from Lindenwood, scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season at 8:29 of the third period to tie the game at 2. Johannes had 13 goals in 28 games last season.
Senior Ludvig Persson had a strong weekend in goal for the Fighting Hawks, stopping 51 of 55 shots (.927 save percentage) in the series. The transfer from Miami is 4-1-1 with a 1.65 goals- once morest average and .933 save percentage on the season.
Minnesota Duluth junior center Carter Loney battles Cornell freshman defenseman Ben Robertson for position on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, at Lynah Rink in Ithaca, New York.
Lexi Woodcock / Cornell University Athletics
UMD struggles offensively
UMD went into the weekend averaging 4.8 goals-per-game and converting on 44% of its power-play opportunities. Both those numbers had a rough weekend for the Bulldogs as they got swept at Cornell (4-1, 3-0).
Minnesota Duluth’s lone goal of the weekend came on Friday by sophomore Ben Steeves at 15:11 of the second period to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to 3-1. It was the team-leading sixth goal of the season for Steeves, but the Bulldogs were held to 19 shots and were 1-for-3 on the power play.
Junior Ian Shane stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced to lead the Big Red to the series sweep. Senior forwards Gabriel Seger and Kyle Penney had two goals apiece in the series for Cornell, which was 3-for-8 on the power play in the two games.
UMD gave senior Zach Stejskal the start in the first game in goal (25 saves on 29 shots) and graduate student Matthew Thiessen played Game 2 (12, 15).
Miami continues to surprise
Miami was picked to finish last in the NCHC in a preseason media poll. But the RedHawks (4-1-1) had a big weekend at home with a win (5-4 in overtime) and a tie (1-1) with Arizona State. This is Miami’s best start since a 4-1-1 start in 2015-16.
Matthew Barbolini
Contributed / Jeffrey Sabo
In the opener, senior Matthew Barbolini had a career-best four assists, sophomore forward John Waldron scored in overtime and graduate student Logan Neaton had 30 saves to give Miami its first four-game winning streak since Oct. 20-Nov. 2, 2018.
Neaton stopped 29 of 30 shots in Game 2 for the RedHawks and is 4-1-1 with a 2.76 GAA and .911 save percentage on the season.
Mavericks tie, lose once morest Ohio State
Nebraska Omaha dropped to 2-1-1 following a 2-2 tie and 4-0 loss to No. 15/16 Ohio State (3-1-3) in a nonconference series at Baxter Arena.
The Mavericks did not help themselves on the power play, which is a growing concern. UNO was 0-for-10 on the power play in the series and is 2-for-21 on the season with the man advantage.
Simon Latkoczy
Contributed / University of Nebraska Omaha
“I liked a couple of our looks at the later in the game (Saturday), but at the end of the day it’s got to generate some momentum for you too,” Mavericks coach Mike Gabinet said. “Then near the end of the game, unfortunately, when the game was out of reach, we had a couple better looks. So we have to keep building on that and it’s been something that’s been strong for us in the past. We’ve definitely got to get it going.”
In the opener, sophomore Simon Latkoczy stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced for UNO. In Game 2, graduate student Seth Eisele stopped 30 of 34 shots for the Mavericks.
“I thought our goalies have been good and continue to work and get better, and he made some very good saves for us,” Gabinet said.
Colorado College, Denver struggle with Augustana
Colorado College (5-1) and second-ranked Denver (4-1-1) both had interesting weekends with common opponents.
Gleb Veremyev
Contributed / Charlie Lengal III, Photographer
On Friday, the Tigers pounded Air Force 6-2 at Cadet Ice Arena to win their fifth straight Pikes Peak Trophy in the battle for Colorado Springs supremacy. It helped Colorado College improve to 5-0, their best start to a season since 2004-05. Sophomore forward Gleb Veremyev had a career-best two goals and three points, senior forwards Logan Will and Ray Christy each added a goal and an assist each and sophomore Kaidan Mbereko made 27 saves for the Tigers.
On Saturday, the Tigers suffered a shocker as Augustana (3-2-1) beat Colorado College 4-3 at Ed Robson Arena. The Vikings are in their first season as an NCAA Division I program. Trailing by a goal, the Tigers got a five-minute power play when Augustana’s Owen Bohn received a major penalty and game ejection for kneeing. But Colorado College might not convert and Vikings freshman goalie Josh Kotai made 12 of his 32 saves in the third period to secure the win.
Massimo Rizzo
Contributed / University of Denver Athletics
On Friday, Denver got surprised by visiting Augustana. The
game ended in a 5-5 tie
following the Vikings came back from a 3-0 and 4-2 deficits. Augustana forward Chase Brand, a graduate student transfer from St. Cloud State, scored the game-tying goal with 21 seconds left in regulation on the power play and with the goalie pulled. Junior forward Jack Devine, a Florida Panthers draft pick, had a goal and two assists and Massimo Rizzo, a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick, added a goal and an assist for the Pioneers.
On Saturday, Denver rebounded by beating Air Force 4-0 at Magness Arena. Freshman Freddie Halyk stopped all 24 shots he faced to pick up his first college win and shutout. Rizzo had two goals and junior forward Carter King added a goal and an assist for the Pioneeers. Rizzo is tied for third in the country in assists (9) and points (14).
1698629740
#NCHC #roundup #Lots #ties #North #Dakota #wins #big #ties #Miami #big #win #tie #Rink #Live
