Saturday night rewind: Zach Driscoll makes history with a shutout for a third different team

Oct. 10—Zach Driscoll made college hockey history Saturday night.

According to College Hockey News archives, he became the first goaltender in NCAA men's hockey history to post a shutout for three different programs.

Driscoll had one shutout during his rookie season at St. Cloud State, nine during three seasons at Bemidji State and now one at UND.

Driscoll stopped all 18 shots in UND's 4-0 win over Niagara in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

"Obviously, that feels good, individually," Driscoll said. "But that doesn't happen without the team in front of us. Special teams were awesome today. Power play answered and the penalty kill did their job. The chances they did have were mostly from the outside. It was a good team effort for sure."

Niagara's closest call might have been a play in the first period where a puck floated over Driscoll and skipped off the top of the net.

"It was a little lucky there," Driscoll said. "You need those to get that shutout. Luck is good, too."

UND took the lead just 68 seconds into the game on a goal by Jake Schmaltz, but Niagara held the edge in shots on goal for most of the opening frame.

Driscoll kept UND in the lead, though, by stopping all eight Purple Eagles shots. He made five saves in the second period and five in the third.

"First of all, he's an outstanding person, and also a worker," UND coach Brad Berry said. "He's played college hockey for a number of years now. He's seen a lot of different teams, a lot of different situations. There's nothing that replaces experience. It's nice to know he's got a big body of work that gives him the confidence to make those saves early in the game."

Quick hits

— Connor Ford, who was one of the best faceoff men in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association last season, had a dominant game in the circle, going 20-6. When UND needs someone to win key defensive zone draws late in games, it's pretty clear that Ford will be the guy who gets the call.

— Jake Sanderson continues to dominate as expected. He has two goals and four points in two games. He led all players with five shots on goal Saturday night.

— Niagara goalie Jake Sibell lost his glove and was playing bare-handed when Schmaltz ripped his second goal of the game by that glove-less hand. According to NCAA rules, a goalie who loses his glove during play does not warrant a whistle, only the helmet. So, officials Brian Hankes and Tom Sterns called that one correctly.

— UND's power play is 3-for-7 after one weekend and both units have scored goals.

— UND is in the midst of one of its most impressive, if not the most impressive, run at home in program history. The Fighting Hawks are now 31-2 in their last 33 games in Ralph Engelstad Arena. It might be a long, long time before we see anything like that again for a team that plays in the NCHC.

— UND has an identical record against Atlantic Hockey teams, 31-2, including a perfect 24-0 mark in Grand Forks.

— Since 1995, UND has opened the regular season with a two-game home series eight times. UND is 15-0-1 in those games — 2021 vs. Niagara (sweep), 2019 vs. Canisius (sweep), 2016 vs. Canisius (sweep), 2013 vs. Vermont (win, tie), 2009 vs. Merrimack (sweep), 2006 vs. Quinnipiac (sweep), 1998 vs. Minnesota Duluth (sweep), 1996 vs. Denver (sweep).

Zach Driscoll's shutouts

St. Cloud State (2016-17)

1. Dec. 2, 2016 — at Western Michigan (26 saves)

Bemidji State career (2018-21)

2. Jan. 11, 2019 — vs. Alaska Fairbanks (25 saves)

3. Jan. 19, 2019 — vs. Michigan Tech (18 saves)

4. Feb. 16, 2019 — vs. Northern Michigan (21 saves) — 5. Nov. 1, 2019 — at Alaska Fairbanks (39 saves)

6. Nov. 23, 2019 — vs. Alabama Huntsville (23 saves)

7. Feb. 14, 2020 — at Northern Michigan (21 saves)

8. March 3, 2020 — vs. Lake Superior State (27 saves) — 9. March 6, 2021 — vs. Alabama Huntsville (16 saves)

10. March 7, 2021 — vs. Alabama Huntsville (13 saves)

UND career (2021-present)

11. Oct. 9, 2021 — vs. Niagara (18 saves)