North Dakota takes down No. 4 Denver, 4-2, for series sweep (2024)

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (UND Athletics) –No. 5 North Dakota battled back for a 4-2 victory over No. 5 Denver to secure a series sweep on Saturday night from a sold-out Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.

After UND (18-6-2, 9-4-1 NCHC) held the Pioneers (17-7-2, 8-5-1 NCHC) to under three goals for the first time all season on Friday night, the Fighting Hawks once again stymied the nation’s leading scoring offense to notch the weekend sweep and a big six points in the conference standings.

With the game deadlocked at 2-2 in the third period, Denver’s Sean Behrens was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for a high hit onBen Strinden, and NoDak took full advantage of the power play with a pair of goals fromOwen McLaughlinandRiese Gaberjust 45 seconds apart to give UND a 4-2 lead.

GoaltenderLudvig Perssonheld down the fort for the remainder of the game, finishing with 22 saves on 24 shots against to become the first goalie to defeat Denver multiple times this season and hand the Pioneers their first loss on a Saturday night.

Denver jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the first period, when Jared Wright was able to deposit his own rebound on a partial break to give the visitors the advantage just 1:46 into the contest. NoDak was able to rally back on the power play late in the frame, asCameron Bergmade it goals in five straight games with a snipe from the top of the circle to even the game at 1-1 after 20 minutes.

After Sam Harris gave DU the lead back on a slick shot midway through the second,Jackson Kunzbroke free from the defense and cashed in his own rebound on the breakaway to knot the contest at 2-2 with his third tally of the season and send the game into the third tied.

In the third, UND struck twice on a major power play just 45 seconds apart, with McLaughlin sniping home his ninth of the season from the left circle before Gaber followed with a shot from the right circle to cash-in his 13th of the year and give the Fighting Hawks the 4-2 lead.

Denver pushed over the final four minutes for the equalizer, but Persson and the defense held strong to secure the weekend sweep with the 4-2 victory.

North Dakota hits the road for a showdown with Miami next weekend beginning on Friday night at 6:05 p.m. (CT) from Oxford, Ohio.

Postgame Notes

• UND jumps to second in the Pairwise Rankings following the sweep
• NoDak also sits four points ahead of St. Cloud State in the NCHC standings with 32 points
• The sweep is UND’s first over Denver since Nov. 5-6, 2021 in Grand Forks
• The Hawks finish the regular season series with a 3-1-0 record against DU
• UND extended its regulation unbeaten streak to 19 games, the third-longest in school history
• Jackson Blakerecorded a pair of assists to extend his point streak to eight games
• The sophom*ore also has 12 points over that span
• Cameron Bergscored for the fifth straight game, giving him nine points in the last eight games
• Jake Livanavagealso recorded a pair of assists to give him three points on the weekend
• Owen McLaughlinhas multiple points in five of his last eight games, notching three points tonight
• The sophom*ore also has five games this season with three points
• UND blocked 13 shots on the night, withBennett Zmolekleading with four
• NoDak held DU’s top line to just one point on the weekend
• The Hawks went 3-for-4 on the power play while DU was 0-for-2
• UND is 11-for-23 since the calendar flipped to 2024 on the power play
• McLaughlin,Jackson Kunzand Livanavage were named the game’s three stars, in that order
• UND finished with a 35-21 faceoff advantage, withCameron Berggoing 14-8