One of the more disappointing aspects of Friday’s 7-3 North Dakota win was the way the game played out.
UMD started strong, dominating the first 100 seconds-plus of the first period and generating a breakaway chance for Anthony Menghini. The sophomore forward tallied his first career hat trick Friday, but none of those three goals were scored on this early breakaway. The puck started to wobble on Menghini as he was preparing to (at least it appeared) shoot five-hole on UND goalie TJ Semptimphelter.
Maybe it was a sign.
North Dakota took the lead at the 2:24 mark of the first, doubled the lead less than four minutes later, and the Bulldogs struggled to generate notable offense until it was far too late.
Along the way, captain Dominic James was injured, roughly around the halfway mark of the second period. We aren’t sure what exactly happened, but James took a shift after getting tangled up with UND’s Chris Wilkie along the end boards in the UMD zone and was not seen again. Can’t even say for certain that the injury is related to that play, or if it happened elsewhere.
He won’t be seen in this game, either, as James becomes the third forward UMD has lost to injury before the Bulldogs have played ten games. More details to come, as we’ll try to get an update from head coach Scott Sandelin pregame. I’m on Threads and will give the info I have when I have it there.
Adam Gajan, who was pulled after allowing five goals on 20 shots Friday, gets a shot at redemption (not that much of any of the damage was necessarily his fault or something, but you know how goalies are). Trevor Stachowiak makes his UMD debut on the fourth line. The lines are back in a bit of a blender, with UMD’s top six for this game exclusively comprised of freshmen and sophomores.
No changes for UND.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Perkins – Plante (Zam) – Bechen
Menghini – Arnott – Shaugabay
Bentz – Loney – Bettens
Molenaar – Fischer – Stachowiak
UMD defense
Dubinsky – Kleber
Pionk – Hanson
Gallatin – Pierce
Bast
UMD goalies
Gajan – Knapp – Sandy
North Dakota forwards
McLaughlin – Berg – Kunz
James – Boisvert – Perron
Swanson – Wilkie – Strinden
Jamernik V – Schmaltz – Littler
Andrew
North Dakota defense
Livanavage – Wiebe
MacDonald – Emery
Jubenvill – Montgomery
North Dakota goalies
Semptimphelter – Hedquist
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