UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA — For the University of North Dakota Hockey team, Saturday’s sweep over Denver was more than just another divisional win.  

“We had a job this weekend… we had to shut them down and play them hard,” Captain Riese Gaber said. “In big games at the end of the year, that’s what it can come down to. We showed this weekend that we can do that, and that was huge for our confidence… when we play with that mindset, mentality, and that urgency, it’s going to be really tough to beat us.”  

The University of North Dakota defeated the University of Denver on Jan. 27, 4-2, to complete their second sweep of an NCHC opponent on home ice. UND once again held the high-scoring DU to below three goals and scored three goals of their own on the power play.  

DU opened the scoring in the first period, but Cameron Berg answered back for UND on the power play, scoring his second goal of the weekend to tie the game at one going into the second.  

Owen McLaughlin touched on what has made the power play so successful since the return from winter break.  

“We’ve been making smarter decisions, being hungrier on pucks, and doing well on face-offs,” Mclaughlin said. “And they’ve been taking some good shots.”  

Denver took the lead in the second again, but UND responded again, with Jackson Kunz burying his own rebound for the game-tying goal.  

“I kind of saw a gap between their d-men, and I split it,” Kunz said. “I yelled for the puck and tried to go five-hole but got the rebound, and luckily, it went in.”  

Beyond his goal, Kunz had a solid Saturday; his net-front position on the power play enabled Berg’s first-period goal, and he led the team in shots on goal going into the third period.  

“He’s a big body. He’s got a great stick for rebounds, but it makes it tough for goaltenders to see around,” Head Coach Brad Berry said. “They’ve got to straighten up in their stance, and… that leaves a lot of room open on either side of the net, and when you got guys like Riese Gaber, Owen McLaughlin, Jackson Blake, and Cameron Berg that are on the flanks, they can pick their spot.” 

Kunz’s 5-on-5 performance led Berry to promote him to the first line.  

“We reward guys that earn it, and he’s been earning it for quite some time this year. It hasn’t been an easy career for him at UND,” Berry said. “He’s playing his best hockey right now.”  

The biggest turning point in the game was when Sean Behrens of DU took a five-minute major, granting UND a full five minutes on the manned advantage in the third period.  

“It was just, let’s get one early on, and then let’s get another,” Gaber said. “We were pretty confident.” 

McLaughlin scored with a minute and 30 seconds left in the five-minute major. 45 seconds later, Gaber scored his 13th goal of the season to put UND up 4-2 with about seven minutes left in the game, and he said getting the second goal came naturally. 

“The adrenaline and all the momentum, it makes it easier for us,” he said. “I think when we have that, we know we are capable of more. It’s just really exciting to get back out there and just keep pressing.”  

Berry said success on the five-minute major was crucial to the victory. “This is it,” he said. “This is time to put the nail in the coffin.”  

Despite it not being the focal point of the game the way it was the night before, UND also put up an amazing defensive effort in Saturday’s game.  

“We had really good support from our 3F,” Berry said. “And I thought even our fourth and fifth guys coming back did a good job of just kind of coming back to the house and not giving them anything on the inside the dots.”  

The weekend series against Denver was a statement for UND, according to Gaber.  

“We’re for real,” Gaber said. “Obviously, we know that. I think the country knows that, but I think we reached another level of confidence this weekend.”  

Maeve Hushman is a Dakota Student Sports Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].