GRAND FORKS, N.D. — After losing at home Friday night, North Dakota came out with desperation on Saturday, and rode that desperation, plus two power-play goals in the second period, to a 5-1 victory over Colorado College Saturday.
“I thought it was huge,” said North Dakota coach Brad Berry. “I know everybody’s caught up in must-win, must-win, and you’re right, it is a must-win, but I thought our guys did a good job of handling the process and staying with the game. I think for the most part over 120 minutes, we played pretty good hockey, and tonight we found a way to win and special teams were part of it.”
After a scoreless first period that was evenly played and saw nearly identical shot counts, it was a series of penalties in the second that enabled North Dakota to take control, as the Tigers were whistled for five penalties.
“We can’t give anybody that many chances,” said CC coach Mike Haviland. “The game was in our favor and still scoreless, then we take three penalties in a row and give the momentum back to them.”
North Dakota got on the board at 9:23 of the second. As a five-on-three power play ended and CC got one player back, Shane Gersich whiffed on a redirect from the right post, sending the puck off the end boards. Joel Janatuinen picked it up on the other side and slid it into the open net before Alex Leclerc could slide back over.
“Probably for a little bit more offense,” said Berry of the decision to put Gersich on the top line. “Janny does a good job, obviously scored two goals tonight, but try to get some chemistry. Those guys had some previous chemistry. The reasoning of having Janny there in the first game was to shut down the other team’s top line, and they did, but I think we needed a little push offensively, and Gers gave it to them.”
Gersich made it 2-0 at 16:48 of the second with a power-play goal. Austin Poganski took a one-time slap shot from the right point that deflected off CC’s Andrew Farny and came to Gersich near the top of the left circle, who fired a quick shot top shelf.
Poganski made it 3-0 just 57 seconds into the third period, getting sprung up the left side off a turnover in the North Dakota zone and racing up ice, looking off and beating Leclerc with a quick wrist shot top corner from the left faceoff dot.
Nick Halloran got one back for CC at 6:46 off a two-on-one with Troy Conzo, who got the puck on the right side of the slot and sent it over to Halloran on the left side, who settled the puck with his left skate and then fired a snap shot top corner stick side.
“Anytime you can split on the road, it’s good to get those three points,” said Haviland. “I didn’t feel like we competed tonight like we did last night.”
At 9:35 however, Grant Mismash made an amazing play to set up North Dakota’s fourth goal, cutting hard through the slot and then spinning and getting the puck to Jordan Kawaguchi just outside the crease. Kawaguchi got a quick shot on net that Leclerc stopped, but Janatuinen picked up the rebound and quickly lifted into the open net.
Mismash then made it 5-1 at 11:43 just as a CC penalty ended, picking up the puck at the right point and cutting down and through the slot, then beating Leclerc top corner glove side from the left faceoff circle.
