GRAND FORKS, N.D.-- The name of North Dakota's goaltender Friday night was Adam Scheel, making his 15th start of the season for the Fighting Hawks in front of 2,286 fans at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
 
As far as the Denver Pioneers (7-11-1) are concerned, his name might well have been Adam Shield for the stonewall front he put up in his 24-save shutout of the Pioneers, his fourth blanking of the season.
 
Sophomore center Shane PInto scored two goals (12th, 13th) and junior center Jasper Weatherby one (6th) as the nation's No. 1-ranked Fighting Hawks (14-4-1) scored a goal in each period to take down the Pioneers.
 
It could be considered UND's biggest win of the season, It moved them back into first place in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference with 41 points, ahead of Minnesota-Duluth (39) and St. Cloud State (37), who both lost Friday night. In addition, UND has a game-in-hand on both teams.
 
It might have been one of Scheel's best games for UND, considering what was at stake with the race for the Penrose Cup as NCHC champion in the stretch drive.
 
He robbed two of DU's top threats, Bobby Brink and Carter Savoie on great chances and was key in blanking Denver on six power plays, including a 5-minute major.
 
"He was unbelievable for us,'' Pinto said. "If it wasn't for him, I don't know if we would have won that game. I know we scored three goals, but he was standing on his head.''
 
Scheel was involved in a scary moment in the closing seconds of the game as well. He was run into by DU winger Kohen Olischefski, and had to be helped off the ice by teammates when the game ended. 
 
But in his post-game comments, Scheel called the injury a charley horse (muscle cramp) and said he expected to be fine to play in Saturday's rematch. Olischefski was assessed a 5-minute major for goalie interference and a game misconduct after the game.
 
Pinto said: "Hopefully he's (Scheel) going to be all right. Obviously we're going to need him here in the stretch run.''
 
After a slow start with Denver outshooting UND 6-1 in the first 14 minutes of the game, UND mustered the next 15 shots on goal and grabbed the lead for good on Weatherby's wrist shot from the faceoff dot at 18:07 of the first period. UND is now 13-0 this season when scoring the first goal of the game and 21-1 at home over the last two seasons.
 
UND's penalty killing was superb, killing a 5-minute major late in the first period. "I thought Adam Scheel and the penalty kill unit did a good job, and I thought the power-play unit had to get one (by Pinto), and they did,'' UND coach Brad Berry said.
 
Berry said he was very pleased with UND's overall game. "It was outstanding,'' he said. "We had to make some big plays in the second period, especially on the penalty kill.''
 
Berry said the win accomplished one of the team goals, to wrap up home ice for the league playoffs with a top-4 finish. Friday's win guaranteed that, with five league games remaining for UND. Next goal, he said, is to repeat as winners of the Penrose Cup as regular-season champs.
 
But the biggest of the post-game presser came from Scheel, saying he didn't believe his leg injury was serious. 
 
"I just kind of got my leg taken out from under me,'' he said. "I'm OK. I'm sure I'll be good to go tomorrow. No worries.''

The teams conclude their regular season series Saturday evening with a 6:07 p.m. puck drop on MidcoSN and the Home of Economy Fighting Hawks Sports Radio Network. 

NOTES
*Both Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State lost Friday to push North Dakota out to a two-point lead in the NCHC standings over UMD and four points clear of SCSU with North Dakota still having a game in hand over both schools. 
*UND is 21-1-0 at home the past two seasons and has won 23 of its last 24 home games, dating back to 2018-19. 
*North Dakota has outscored its opponents, 12-1, at home this season. 
*Pinto now has five consecutive multi-point games.
*Weatherby has a goal in three straight games. 
*DU was 0-for-6 on the PP while UND was 1-for-5.
*Pinto leads the NCHC in goals (13), points (25) and PPG (6).