SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — UND fans took to their feet as time expired at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center last night. North Dakota had just won 3-0, earning a shutout and advancing to the regional final game.
Must Win…Given the History
The Fighting Hawks came into the game needing to shake some demons. North Dakota had not won a regional semifinal game since 2021.
“I don’t believe any of us have been this far,” Dylan James (Sr.) reflected. “It’s all [of] our first time, but we’re happy to experience it together.”
For most of the game, North Dakota was solidly in control, but as time passed and Merrimack’s desperation became more evident, the balance of the game started to shift. In the third period, UND had just four shots to the Warriors’ 14.
Merrimack even put a puck in the Hawks’ net, but it was waved off too early when the official thought Jan Špunar had covered the puck. The atmosphere was tense, and the anticipation of a comeback did not leave many in the building until Cody Croal (So.) sent the puck into the empty net.
“Every game’s gonna get harder,” Dane Jackson reflected. “That game was a hard-fought game. We knew it was gonna be. Watching tape, you see they had a good system, they defended well, and their goaltending is outstanding. I just think it prepares you to say, ‘Hey, the next game’s gonna be harder and harder and harder.’ You have an understanding [of] what it takes and how all these little details matter.”
Spoony’s Shutout
With his performance last night, Jan Špunar earned his fifth clean sheet of the season. The freshman goalie stood on his head, making 31 saves to keep his team in the game.
“He’s been our backbone this whole year,” said Dylan James. “[He’s] such a humble dude, and all the guys just love him. They’re so proud of him.”
Will Zellers (Fr.) acknowledged the challenge that Špunar had to overcome, having let in five against Minnesota Duluth. For the freshman netminder, resetting was key, and his teammates knew it.
“We kind of put him in a tough spot overall, not playing the best in front of him,” Zellers told the media. “For him to come out like that with so much confidence, it just gave us a bunch of confidence having him back there. I know he’s hot us back there when he’s so calm.”
The 31-save shutout was North Dakota’s first in an NCAA playoff game since 2011, when it beat RPI 6-0 in a regional semifinal game. Sophomore goaltender Aaron Dell stopped 21 shots and tied Ed Belfour’s single-season record of 29 victories. Days later, Dell earned a thirtieth victory in the regional final, setting a new school record.
Tomorrow Night in Sioux Falls
Tomorrow night, the Hawks will be back in action against Quinnipiac, which won its game yesterday afternoon to advance. The Bobcats are led by head coach Rand Pecknold, the winningest active coach in college hockey.
“[He’s] done it for a long, long time and always builds real good, competitive teams,” Dane Jackson said, looking to the next game. “We’ve played them in the national tournament a few times in my time, [and] we’ve played series where we’ve gone out and played in their building. They’ve got really good players; they’re competitive guys. They have a lot of detail in their game.”
North Dakota has not won a regional final since 2016, when it went on to win the Frozen Four Championship against Quinnipiac.
Tomorrow’s regional final game will start at 6:02 p.m. in Sioux Falls, S.D. The game against Quinnipiac will be featured on ESPN2, with commentary from Jason Ross Jr. and Kevin Weekes. Additionally, ESPN+ subscribers will be able to stream the game. Audio listeners can tune in to the Fighting Hawks Radio Network via iHeartRadio, the Fighting Hawks website, or 96.1 FM (The Fox) for local listeners.
Anthony Dillett is a Dakota Student Sports Reporter. He can be reached at [email protected] and on X @adillettgf.