BOSTON, Mass. ? Massachusetts sophomore goalie Dan Meyers stopped a career-high 40 shots and sophomore forward James Marcou scored twice on the power-play to lift the Minutemen to a 3-2 win victory over the Fighting Sioux at the Ice Breaker Invitational at Agganis Arena.
The fifth-ranked Sioux fell to 0-2-0 with the loss while UMass evened its record at 1-1-0. It marks the first time UND is 0-2 to start the season since 1994-95.
Meyers was the difference in a matchup that saw UND outshoot UMass 42-16 while largely dictating the tempo of the game throughout, particularly in the final two periods when the Sioux held a decisive 35-9 edge in shots on goal.
Trailing 3-1 with less than 13 minutes remaining in the third period, Sioux defenseman Chay Genoway (Jr., Morden, Manitoba) weaved his way into the high slot while fending off a UMass defender with one arm. Genoway was able to get off a wrist shot that was deflected past Meyers by junior forward Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead, Minn.), pulling the Sioux to within one.
However, Meyers would withstand the ensuing UND onslaught and the Sioux were unable to find the equalizer against the red-hot goaltender.
“Today we played hard as a team but didn't get the results,” said UND head coach Dave Hakstol. “It's tough to lose two games to start the year, but today was a building block for the reason of the season.”
Twelve different Sioux skaters notched at least two shots on goal and UND managed 14 shots on its six power-play chances, but Meyers was equal to the task in besting his previous career-high save total by eight.
At the other end, Marcou provided Meyers with any cushion he would need with a pair of re-direct goals on the power-play. His first came with 6:05 left in the first period to break a 1-1 tie. His second, which would stand up as the game-winner, came with 5:53 left in the second frame and gave the Minutemen a 3-1 lead.
That two-goal cushion proved to be vital, as it would hold until VandeVelde's power-play tally in the third period.
UMass senior winger Alex Berry added a career-high three assists for the Minutemen.
For the second straight night, UND's opponent hit the scoreboard first. UMass center Cory Quirk gained control of the puck in the Sioux corner and fed it back to junior defenseman Topher Bevis at the point. Bevis long shot found its way through traffic and past UND netminder Aaron Walski (Sr., Fargo, N.D.) to give the Minutemen a 1-0 lead just 3:57 into the game.
But the Sioux would respond less than five minutes later thanks to a sustained forecheck by the line of Matt Watkins (Sr., Aylesbury, Saskatchewan), Darcy Zajac (Jr., Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Ryan Martens (Sr., Selkirk, Manitoba). Watkins through a pass to Martens in the slot, and Martens, who was in the lineup for the first time this season, lifted a backhand over the glove of Meyers to tie the game.
The goal also broke a personal 24-game goal-scoring drought for Martens, who was one of UND's most effective forwards all game long.
UND went 1-for-6 on the power-play while Marcou enabled the Minutemen to go 2-for-4 with the man advantage.
Walski, making his first start of the season and the second of his career, made 13 saves for the Sioux.
Zajac was named to the all-tournament team.
UND will continue its season-opening four-game road trip next Friday and Saturday at No. 18 Minnesota State. The puck drops at 7:37 p.m. on Friday and 7:07 on Saturday.
Ice Breaker Invitational All-Tournament Team
Alex Berry, Massachusetts
Nick Bonino, Boston University
Jeff Lerg, Michigan State
Jeff Petry, Michigan State
Kevin Shattenkirk, Boston University
Darcy Zajac, North Dakota
MVP: Colin Wilson, Boston University
