Box score

GRAND FORKS, N.D.-- Canisius College out of Buffalo, N.Y., in the Atlantic Hockey Association usually wouldn't be billed as a rivalry game. But, in this season-opener for both teams, the home team had a little retribution on its mind. 

Canisius swept North Dakota last season in a key non-conference series that played a large part in UND being left out of the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season. 

North Dakota (1-0-0) left no doubt in this one, again out-shooting the Griffs by a wide margin, but this time burying five opportunities in a tidy 5-0 win. 

"We talked about staying with the game and doing the things we have to do and staying with the process," UND head coach Brad Berry said. "I thought they did and I thought they had a workman-like attitude and everybody contributed. I thought five-on-five we did a good job of managing the puck, playing in the offensive zone and getting some good luck."

The shots were heavily tilted to the home team, 40-11, as UND played with a slim lead until blowing it open in the third. 

Newcomer and recent Ottawa Senators second-round draft pick Shane Pinto got his much-anticipated collegiate career off to a quick start, finding a loose puck in the crease and banging it home for his first career goal just four-and-a-half minutes into it. 

Cole Smith gained the zone and fed a centering pass to Jonny Tychonick, who corralled it off his skate and got a puck towards the net. Pinto was there to jam it in to stake UND to the early lead. 

In the second, UND seemed poised to add to its lead after a 5-minute major call against Canisius led to an extended power play. The Fighting Hawks fired off six shots in that ensuing man advantage but Matt Ladd stood tall in net and UND missed a few wide and squandered an opportunity to build on its 1-0 edge. 

Late in the period, though, Jackson Keane fired a puck off the end boards and Jasper Weatherby backhanded a pass across the crease to an awaiting Dixon Bowen, who buried it for his first goal of the night. 

In the third, UND would chase Ladd with three quick goals in just over three minutes to bust down the door on a 5-0 edge. The first came when Gabe Bast shot a tough-angle puck from the far boards that deflected off a Canisius player to make it 3-0. 

Two-and-a-half minutes later, Grant Mismash forced a turnover in the neutral zone and raced ahead beating Ladd to the stick side. Just 52 seconds later, Bowen potted his second of the night when Weatherby dug a puck out of the corner and attempted a wrap around. It squirted free right to Bowen in front and he recorded his second career two-goal game. 

Adam Scheel needed to make just 11 saves for his second career shutout as Canisius mustered just 14 total shots the entire game.
 
The teams conclude the series Saturday with puck drop at 7:07 p.m. on MidcoSN and the Home of Economy Fighting Hawks Sports radio network. 

Notes: Pinto's goal came on his first collegiate shot on goal ... North Dakota debuted its new black Adidas jerseys Friday ... Total shots were 75-14 ... Pinto won 14 of his 18 faceoffs ... UND improves to 8-2-0 all-time against Canisius ... Bowen's first career goal also came against Canisius in his freshman season (2016-17) ... All five UND goals were even-strength goals ... Eight Fighting Hawks were +2 plus/minus rating with all but two registering a positive rating ... UND has registered 122 shots on goal in the last three games against Canisius.