UND falters in third-period, loses NCAA regional game to Michigan

Mar. 29—MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — In the final seconds Friday night, Jackson Blake attempted to make a hit in the neutral zone.

UND's star player and Hobey Baker Award finalist lost an edge on his skate, crashed hard into the boards and remained down on the ice for several minutes.

It was one last blow of a disastrous third period that ended with UND losing 4-3 to Michigan in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Centene Community Ice Center.

After being automatic all year when taking a lead into the third period — UND was 20-0 — that streak ended at the worst possible time.

Michigan outshot UND 15-1 in the opening 12 minutes of the third, scored three times and turned a 2-1 intermission deficit into a victory and a trip to the Maryland Heights Regional championship game.

"They made a push early in (the third)," UND coach Brad Berry said. "They scored on their second shift. I think it's big, that shift after a goal is scored, whether you score one or give one up. They ended up getting another one.

"We had a really good game plan in place, and I thought we did it for the most part. But again, when you're dealing with playing against really good teams and skilled teams, if you don't execute the part of the game you needed to, that's what happens."

UND's season ended at 26-12-2. Michigan advances to take on rival Michigan State at 5:30 p.m. Sunday in the regional championship. The winner will earn a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul.

Captain Riese Gaber was one of the last to leave the ice after the game, staying on to hug his teammates goodbye. He is planning to turn pro after tallying 129 points over 140 career games, more than any UND player in the last decade.

Hunter Johannes, who scored a goal, also remained on the ice late with fellow fifth-year seniors Keaton Pehrson (two assists) and Logan Britt, whose eligibility expires.

"I thought we left it all out there today," center Jake Schmaltz said. "We might have started a little flat in the third. They were able to capitalize with two goals. I'm just proud of the way we played today, proud of our seniors and proud of the guys that are moving on."

UND received a first-period goal from Johannes, a second-period goal from Blake and a third-period tally from Jackson Kunz.

Goaltender Ludvig Persson stopped 26 of 30 shots in playing his first game in 20 days.

"I'm proud of the way the guys battled," Berry said. "They said it right on the head as far as putting it all out on the table today. They battled extremely hard and obviously, we didn't get the result we wanted or rewarded for our effort. But I was proud of the way our guys responded and played today."

UND played without its top defenseman Garrett Pyke, who sustained an upper-body injury in the NCHC semifinal game against Omaha last Friday. Berry said Pyke wasn't close to being ready, despite practicing during the week. Had UND reached the Frozen Four, Berry said he might have been able to play there.

The Fighting Hawks held up well without Pyke until the third.

On the second shift of the final frame, a puck trickled toward Persson on a rush. Instead of covering it, Persson tried to kick it to the corner. He accidentally put it off of his own defender and in the net, starting the Michigan rally.

Just 1:33 later, T.J. Hughes scored on a rebound to give Michigan its first lead of the game.

"They came out flying," Gaber said. "They got two right away and our push was kind of late and it just fell short."

Michigan added to the lead when Dylan Duke finished a T.J. Hughes feed with 8:04 to go.

UND pushed back at the end, outshooting Michigan 9-0 in the final eight minutes. Kunz pulled the Fighting Hawks within one, but they couldn't get the equalizer.

"At the start of the period, you have to make sure you're sharp, especially if you're leading in the game and the other team is down a goal," Berry said. "You've got to make sure you offset their push. They made a couple of pushes at the beginning of the second and the beginning of the third."

Soon, the focus will be on to next year and re-tooling the roster. But not Friday night.

"It's tough to think about that right now," Berry said. "Obviously, knowing our season came to an end right now, it's spending time with the guys here. But once we get back (to Grand Forks), we'll have conversations to see what goes on, but I know the majority of our guys will be coming back and we'll carry on with another year."