Gophers Renew Rivalry With Fighting Hawks in Grand Forks

SB Nation

The Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey team has had a mixed first few weeks of the season thus far. After a split with Michigan Tech to open the season the Gophers lost the first game against Boston College

last weekend and would take a 2-2- tie in the second one. But in that second game the Gophers did something they had not done since Valentines Day of 2020—score in a shootout. And they did it TWICE. Could that be the spark this team needs to get itself rolling as we enter mid-October? This week we will get a much better idea where the Gophers stand as they take a familiar road trip to the northwest and renew one of the best rivalries in all of college hockey. It’s North Dakota week.

The Gophers will face the #8 ranked Fighting Hawks on their home ice in Grand Forks. It’s the most recent meeting between the two schools with the first one coming in 1930. Minnesota leads the all-time series 151-137-16, and the two teams have split their last three series with the Gophers taking the series opener in all three. But, North Dakota has won seven of the last 10 meetings between the schools. The last time these teams met in Grand Forks was 2023 when the Gophers picked up a 4-0 win on Friday thanks to a goal and an assist from Brody Lamb. The Fighting Hawks came back and won on Saturday 2-1.

North Dakota started the season out 2-0 after a home and home sweep of St. Thomas last weekend. The Fighting Hawks won 6-2 in Grand Forks on Friday before making the trip to face the Tommies at Grand Casino Arena in downtown St. Paul and winning 5-2 on Sunday. It was a balanced attack for UND in the sweep of the Tommies with 15 different skaters recording a point, including 11 different goal scorers. Arizona State transfer goalie Gibson Homer started and won both games for the F’ng Hawks. North Dakota was 4-6 on the power play on the weekend, so it’s going to be key for the Gophers to stay out of the box this weekend.

Minnesota looked a bit outmatched at times last weekend against BC. The Gophers fell 3-1 in Thursday’s opener only picking up 19 shots on goal. On Friday the Gophers took a 2-1 lead late into the third period when the referees missed an obvious take down of Minnesota’s Beckett Hendrickson by a BC player, and the Eagles came down and scored on the ensuing 4 on 3 to tie the game at 2. Neither team could score in the 3×3 overtime and for official NCAA purposes the game went down as a tie.

But, the teams went to a shootout anyways. After the initial BC shot was stopped by Nathan Airey, LJ Mooney stepped on the ice and in a nice move became the first Gopher to score in a shootout since Brannon McManus did it against Notre Dame on Valentines Day, 2020. After a second Airey save, Omaha transfer Tanner Ludke made it 2-2 for the Gophers clinching the shootout win. The crowd went wild, and hopefully put some momentum into the Minnesota squad.

One big positive for the Gophers in the first two weekends of the season has been the emergence of Airey. The junior really looks like he as taken a step to being a true #1 goalie for the Gophers. Minnesota would still like to see Michigan State transfer Luca DiPasqua get some more action and see if he can bounce back from his initial shaky game against Michigan Tech to open the season, but barring a blowout in Friday’s opener, I would expect Airey gets both starts in Grand Forks this weekend.

Minnesota will need to play smart hockey, and capitalize on offensive chances. They need to do a better job of breaking the puck out of their own end and controlling play. Freshman Teddy Townsend is still out with his injury, but Minnesota should have their full lineup from last week back including freshman Mason Moe who picked up his first collegiate point on an assist of a Javon Moore goal on Friday.

The North Dakota broadcast was been picked up by Fox9+ this weekend and will be available in the Twin Cities. Streaming will only be available on NCHC.TV for a steep fee as it is not a Big Ten controlled home game.