GRAND FORKS – Over eleven thousand fans gathered in the Ralph this weekend to watch the legendary University of North Dakota hockey team face off against the Crusaders of College of the Holy Cross. North Dakota dominated on the ice during both games setting UND up for a great season.  

Friday night, North Dakota started off strong, scoring four times in the first quarter and continuing the pattern of power throughout all three periods. 

Eight minutes into the game, freshman forward Jackson Blake scored a goal, his first for UND. Just seventeen seconds later, UND captain Mark Senden scored his first goal of the season, bringing the score to 2-0. Minutes later, Gavin Hain, fifth year forward, scored another goal for North Dakota, his first since returning from an injury last January. In the final moments of the first period, Cooper Moore, junior defense, scored an incredible one-timer making the score 4-0. 

Although most could predict the fate of the game, the second period began with enthusiasm. Minutes of back and forth of blocked shots by both teams. Riese Gaber, junior forward, on the power play, assisted by Chirs Jandric, grad student defense, and Blake Jackson, Freshman forward, scored yet again for North Dakota. Rounding out the second period 5-0, leaving Holy Cross fans feeling a bit hopeless and the roaring North Dakota fans ready for a satisfying win.  

As the third period began, it followed a similar pattern to the second period. At 15:05, Jake Schmaltz, sophomore forward, scored on a power play, assisted by Moore and Jandric, making the score 6-0. Deafening cheers from North Dakota fans were well deserved as the game concluded. 

Saturday night, fans came hungry for another win, and thanks to the talent and hard work of our boys in green, they were not disappointed.  

The first period had a slow start, but Hain picked things up at 17:22 after backhanding the puck past Holy Cross, giving North Dakota a 1-0 lead. Ethan Frisch, senior defense, strengthened the North Dakota lead in the last seconds of the first period, Frisch shot a one-timer on the power play and raised the score 2-0. 

In the second period, Hain took another opportunity to show off his backhand skills as he scored another goal on a rebound sixteen minutes into the period. Not long after, senior forward Carson Albrecht scored his first of the season for UND as he maneuvered past the defender and raised the score to 4-0.  

Saturday seemed to have a similar destiny to Friday’s game, but Holy Cross was not quite ready to give up. Seventeen minutes into the third period, Holy Cross’ Charlie Spence deflected the puck off a centering pass into the net. The score ended 4-1, another victory for North Dakota.  

North Dakota is currently ranked third in the National Hockey Conference, next weekend UND Hockey will face Quinnipiac University at the Ralph Englestad Arena in Grand Forks.  

 Victoria Ledum can be reached at [email protected].