MINNEAPOLIS-- Three first-period goals kick-started third-ranked North Dakota's 9-3 thrashing of host Minnesota Thursday evening at 3M at Mariucci Arena. It tied for the most UND goals in the series with its rival in the 288 all-time games.  

Eight different goal scorers dotted the score sheet for UND led by Jordan Kawaguchi's two as the visitors outshot the home team, 36-21. 

"We knew we were coming into a tough environment here on the big ice surface against a very good team and I thought our guys had a mentality of playing the right way and playing with some details to give yourself a chance to get off to a lead and I thought we did," UND head coach Brad Berry said. "I thought for 60 minutes we did what we needed to do and we've got to sustain that tomorrow."

UND (11-1-2 overall) looked to be in trouble early, taking a penalty just nine seconds into the game. But, the stellar penalty kill unit was solid once again, killing it off seconds before Kawaguchi got things rolling for North Dakota. 

The junior assistant captain potted UND's first goal when Grant Mismash stole the puck at the blue line and found Kawaguchi to UM starting goalie Jack LaFontaine's right and solved him gloveside. 

Later in the period, Jasper Weatherby scored then Colton Poolman netted a power play goal-- UND's eighth consecutive game with a man-advantage tally for a 3-1 lead after one. 

The Fighting Hawks continued to pile it on in the second period, scoring four goals for a 7-3 advantage through 40 minutes, chasing LaFontaine with the second of those goals. Kawaguchi and Mismash teamed up again for the first in that stretch on the way to that line producing eight points. 

On UND's fifth goal, this time it was Kawaguchi setting the table for Mismash and his third goal of the season to make it 5-2. That would chase LaFontaine but his replacement didn't fare much better. 

Jared Moe came on in relief and allowed four goals on 17 shots before he, too, would be replaced by Justen Close to finish out the final 6:13 of the game. Shane Pinto and Dixon Bowen greeted him with second-period goals, then Jacob Bernard-Docker and Cole Smith eventually chased Moe as well in a 9-3 contest. 
 
Adam Scheel made 18 saves in net for his 11th win of the season for North Dakota. 

The teams conclude the series Friday with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop on FOX Sports North, TSN.ca and the Home of Economy Radio Network. 

Notes: Poolman's goal gave UND its eighth straight game with a power play goal ... Four of Poolman's career 16 goals (128 games) have come against Minnesota (6 games) ... UND is now out-scoring opponents, 19-7, in the first period this season ... UND registered its third game of seven goals or more this season in just the 14th game ... That's the most seven-goal games in a season since 2014-15 when UND did it four times ... Kawaguchi recorded his seventh multi-point game of the season ... Grant Mismash tallied his first-ever game with more than two points, scoring a goal and adding a career-high three assists in the win for a four-point night ... The line of Mismash-Pinto-Kawaguchi piled up eight points combined ... UND leads the country in goal margin, outscoring opponents, 59-23 (+36) ... Matt Kiersted was a team-leading +4 in the win ... Kawaguchi's second goal is the game-winner, his third of the season to tie for the team lead ... Three players now pace UND in goals this season with 6 (Kawaguchi, Westin Michaud, Cole Smith).