University of North Dakota Suffers First Loss of the Season Against Minnesota
GRAND FORKS — The University of North Dakota’s (UND) undefeated streak came to an end on Saturday night with a 5-1 loss to their arch-rivals, the University of Minnesota. The defeat marked UND’s first loss of the season, and it was a tough pill to swallow for the team’s captain, Bennett Zmolek. Zmolek’s grim expression during the post-game press conference said it all, as he acknowledged that his team didn’t play up to their standard.
The game was closely contested in the early stages, with both teams trading goals in the first period. However, Minnesota’s seventh defenseman, Max Rud, scored a long-range shot early in the third period to break the 1-1 tie. The Fighting Hawks struggled to regain their footing, and the Gophers took advantage of their opponent’s misfortune, scoring three more goals to seal the win.
UND’s Struggles in the Neutral Zone
According to UND defenseman Abram Wiebe, the team’s struggles in the neutral zone were a major factor in their loss. Wiebe noted that Minnesota did a great job of clogging up the neutral zone, making it difficult for UND to get pucks in deep. He also acknowledged that his team overhandled the puck, failing to hit the tape and create scoring opportunities. UND coach Dane Jackson echoed Wiebe’s sentiments, stating that his team didn’t do a great job of resetting and being ready for Minnesota’s push in the third period.
The loss was a humbling experience for UND, which had cruised through its first three games of the season, scoring 11 goals in a sweep over St. Thomas and earning a 5-2 victory in the series opener against the Gophers. However, they struggled to get to Minnesota goalie Luca Di Pasquo in the series finale, with their lone goal coming on a point shot by freshman defenseman Keaton Verhoeff in the first period.
Penalties Prove Costly for UND
Penalties were also a significant factor in the series, with UND handing the Gophers six power plays on Saturday night. Minnesota scored one power-play goal and added another just seconds after a power play expired. Jackson acknowledged that his team’s stick penalties were “not real smart” and allowed Minnesota to build momentum and create scoring chances. The Gophers, on the other hand, had given UND seven power plays on Friday night, but the Fighting Hawks didn’t score on the advantage until Minnesota pulled its goalie.
The rivalry series between UND and Minnesota ended in a split, with the two teams having split their last four series. The Gophers last swept UND in November 2011 in Minneapolis, while UND’s last sweep of Minnesota came in November 2019 in Minneapolis. The teams are scheduled to play again in Minneapolis on October 23-24, 2026, and will return to Grand Forks in 2027-28.
Despite the loss, UND hopes to learn from their mistakes and grow as a team. Wiebe noted that his team can learn from their failure to forget about Minnesota’s second goal and move forward, and that they have a lot of games to work on that aspect of their game. With a 3-1 record, UND will travel to Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., next weekend, looking to bounce back from their first setback of the season. For more information on the game, visit Here
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