UND defenseman Garrett Pyke comes through against his old team
Jan. 6—GRAND FORKS — UND coach Brad Berry said Garrett Pyke played like "a top-end defenseman in college hockey" this weekend.
He showed his skill against his former team — and his former roommate.
In the second period, Alaska's leading goal-scorer Harrison Israels was on a rush, but Pyke battled him, blocking Israels' route to the net and taking him into the end wall.
It was a play Pyke was seen Israels pull off several times. They were teammates for five years, including three at Alaska.
"I knew he was going to put a shoulder down, try to get to the net," Pyke said. "Just a good battle. He's a heavy guy."
This weekend was an emotional one for Pyke, who faced his former Alaska team for the first time. He wasn't sure what to expect, but after sweeping the Nanooks with a 6-2 win Saturday, Pyke described the weekend as "a lot of fun."
"On the ice out there, it didn't really feel like I was playing Alaska, to be honest," he said. "I was just playing my game and was focused on every shift. It's started to sink in now that we won two games against my former team, especially in the handshake line. I got to see former teammates, so good seeing them. But overall, it's just great to get two wins, get the sweep and keep things going on a good note for the second half."
Pyke extended his point streak to seven games this weekend, the longest point streak of his career.
He had an assist on Jayden Perron's third-period goal Saturday. On Friday, he recorded two assists on UND's two power-play goals from Owen McLaughlin and Riese Gaber.
"I'm just trying to keep it simple," Pyke said. "When I have a lane, getting pucks to the net and trying to create offensively. It helps when you have forwards like we do. They're so skilled. Even defensemen, like Abram Wiebe, he's always making plays happen. So it's just continuing to generate offense in the offensive zone and finding lanes."
Gaber thought Pyke played well this weekend despite the added emotion.
"He's a true pro with the way he carries himself and he goes about business every day," Gaber said. "I know there was a lot of nerves and whatnot going into this weekend. This weekend's been circled on his calendar for a long time. I thought he did an outstanding job."
UND coach Brad Berry added: "He was outstanding. You never know how that's going to go when you have a lot of former friends, coaches, the team you were with for four years previous and how you're going to react. He played with confidence and poise."
Pyke played on a new power-play unit this weekend along with Gaber and McLaughlin. That unit scored all three of UND's power-play goals this weekend.
"I think we kept it simple," Pyke said. "Karl (Goehring) did a great job of pre-scout this week, so we knew what looks we were going to have. To have (McLaughlin) and Gaber on the sides makes it pretty easy. They're such lethal threats. They use their shot. Obviously, we saw it this weekend."
Berry said UND's ability to win faceoffs Saturday — it ended with a 53.8% clip — also helped the power play units succeed.
"We were keeping things simple and shooting, and we were winning faceoffs," Berry said. "I would commend our guys for winning faceoffs on the power play and getting it back. The other thing is when we don't score a goal off a shot, having the retrieval side of it, having that wolfpack mentality of getting guys around it to retrieve the puck to get another opportunity. I think that's the killer instinct you want on the power play, to be relentless. You're seeing it a little more from both units."
