GRAND FORKS, N.D. – For the second straight night, No. 4 North Dakota potted six goals to notch a weekend sweep over Alaska with a 6-2 victory on Saturday night from a sold-out Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
UND’s (14-5-1) new-look top line of Riese Gaber, Hunter Johannes and Cameron Berg were dominant all night in the victory, combining for four goals and two assists to help the Fighting Hawks polish off their first sweep over Alaska (10-9-1) since 1991 and extend their regulation unbeaten streak to 13 straight games.
Gaber struck for a goal and added two assists for his second straight game with three points while Johannes potted a pair of tallies for the second time this season and in his career to pace the offensive attack. Owen McLaughlin made it back-to-back games with multiple points with a goal and a helper, as nine-different Hawks notched at least a point.
Freshman goaltender Hobie Hedquist made his second straight start between the pipes for the hosts, finishing with 17 saves on 19 shots to improve to 2-0-0 as a starter. The Heron Lake, Minn., native locked it down over the final 40 minutes, stopping all 13 shots to help the green and white turn a 2-2 deadlock into a 6-2 victory.
Unlike last night, it was North Dakota who jumped out to a strong start and an early lead thanks to a major penalty call on the Nanooks, with Gaber sniping home his 11th of the season to quickly give the hosts a 1-0 lead just over five minutes into the contest.
The captain helped the Hawks double the lead when his shot deflected off of Johannes in front and past the goaltender for the 2-0 advantage, but the Nanooks responded with a pair of strikes in a 1:02 span to close the first period deadlocked at 2-2.
The top line was at it again in the second period, as Gaber sent a puck into the crease for Berg to collect and bury his ninth of the year to restore the advantage for the hosts, 3-2, after 40 minutes of play.
UND put the hammer down in the final stanza, with McLaughlin extending the lead to 4-2 just over four minutes into the frame off a nifty pass from Jackson Blake before Jayden Perron sniped home his first goal since Nov. 18 against Miami and Johannes added an empty netter to polish off the 6-2 victory.
North Dakota jumps back into NCHC play with a home series against Omaha beginning on Friday night at 7:07 p.m. from the Ralph.
UND explodes in 6-2 victory for No. 4 NoDak over Alaska
Posted by CSi TV in Sports on January 8, 2024 8:54 am / no comments
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