UND moves within one win of Penrose Cup with victory over Western Michigan
Mar. 1—GRAND FORKS — Carson Albrecht stood in the Ralph Engelstad Arena hallway after UND's 5-3 win over Western Michigan on Friday night.
He was waiting to be announced as one of the three stars of the game after scoring the eventual game-winner.
"I had no idea what to do," Albrecht said of the three-star festivities. "I just gave a little wave and I tossed a. . . I don't even know what it is. A shirt?"
Albrecht had never done it before in his five years at UND.
But the Fighting Hawks needed a little something from everyone Friday night.
Despite getting outshot 37-17, UND received goals from all four lines and emerged with a win and a six-point cushion atop the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings with three regular-season games remaining.
Owen McLaughlin, Jackson Kunz, Louis Jamernik V and Albrecht scored at even-strength, while Cameron Berg put the contest away with an empty-netter late in the third.
Jackson Blake continued his torrid pace with two more assists, bringing him within one point of the NCHC record for most league points in a season (35). That distinction is currently held by UND's Brock Boeser (2015-16) and Denver's Bobby Brink (2021-22).
UND clinched home ice for the NCHC quarterfinals, but its sights are set much higher than that.
NCHC commissioner Heather Weems will be in Ralph Engelstad Arena on Saturday on standby in case the Fighting Hawks win their fourth Penrose Cup in five years and sixth in the 11-year history of the league.
If UND clinches a share, there will be a presentation on the ice.
UND needs at least a point to do that. Here are the scenarios:
* If UND wins in regulation, it will clinch a share of the title no matter what happens in the Denver-St. Cloud State game. If UND gets three and Denver gets one point, UND wins it outright.
* If UND wins in overtime or a shootout, it would win the Penrose Cup outright with Denver winning in overtime/shootout. It would clinch a share with Denver winning in regulation or losing in overtime/shootout.
* If UND loses in overtime or a shootout, it would need a Denver overtime/shootout win to clinch a share.
"We control our own destiny," Jamernik said. "If we get the job done, I think that will guarantee at least a portion of it. If we play the right way, everybody's going to bring it tomorrow because it's Senior Night. It's an emotional night, but we've got to stay focused on the task at hand, and we'll be happy after."
UND caught Western Michigan in transition several times during the series opener.
Blake sprung McLauglin on a breakaway in the first period. Jamernik sped around Broncos defenseman Samuel Sjolund and scored from the top of the crease in the second. Albrecht finished off a Hunter Johannes shot off the far pad of Bronco goalie Cameron Rowe in the second period.
"I thought puck management was a bit iffy for us at times," UND coach Brad Berry said. "But it was a situation where when a team presses you a little bit, that's what happens. On the other end of the spectrum, we scored some goals because they pressed. That's the balance of it playing against aggressive teams."
UND built a 4-1 lead before Western Michigan got a few past Ludvig Persson, who was outstanding in making 34 saves.
"I thought Western came out to play," Albrecht said. "They played a really good game. I've got to give a shoutout to Luddy. He stood on his head. I don't think we would have won without him."
Western Michigan's Daniel Hilsendager and Matteo Costantini, who transferred from UND in the summer, scored back-to-back goals in the span of 1:33 in the middle of the third period to make it a one-goal game.
But UND iced it, improving to 17-0 when taking a lead into the third period.
UND will celebrate seniors Riese Gaber, Griffin Ness, Persson and Johannes after Saturday's game.
And if things go well for the Fighting Hawks, there could be a Penrose sighting, too.
"That's going to be a salty team coming in tomorrow," Berry said of Western Michigan. "They probably thought they deserved a better fate. At the end of the day, that's hockey. We've been at the other end of games where we felt we probably should have had a better result than we did. The game of hockey evens out a little bit."
