GRAND FORKS, N.D. – No. 4 North Dakota returned to action following a break of three weeks for the holidays and dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to the U.S. Under-18 Team on Saturday night from Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D.
 
UND, who was missing four regulars in its lineup due to injuries including starting goaltender Ludvig Persson, dominated the contest from a possession and shot standpoint by finishing the game with a 39-23 shot advantage, but USTNDP netminder Nick Kempf finished with 36 saves and received a little help from his posts to help the U-18's notch their second win over NoDak in 13 tries.
 
Hobie Hedquist made his first unofficial start between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, finishing with 19 saves in 62 minutes of action. Freshmen defenseman Nate Benoit and Tanner Komzak also played extended minutes in the lineup, with Bennett Zmolek and Jake Livanavage missing the game due to injury.
 
The Fighting Hawks jumped on the board first on the power play when Jackson Blake sniped home a shot from the slot just 3:50 into the contest to give the hosts the early advantage, but UND could not extend the lead in the opening stanza to hold a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
 
It didn't take long for NoDak to double its lead in the middle frame, however, as Logan Britt banked a shot off a NTDP defender and into the net at the 2:54 mark of the second to increase the advantage to 2-0. The Americans started to find their legs as the period wore on, with James Hagens and Lucas Van Vliet each potting a goal to tie the game at 2-2 heading to the final period of regulation.
 
The U-18's made it three straight goals early in the third, as Kamil Bednarik finished off a wraparound tuck to give the visitors a 3-2 lead, but Hunter Johannes brought the game level once again with a snipe off the rush just beyond the midway point of the period to send the game into overtime.
 
After a couple of grade-A chances for both sides, Cole Hutson won the game for the NTDP at the 2:25 mark of the extra session to give the Americans the victory in exhibition play.
 
North Dakota opens 2024 with a regular season series against Alaska beginning on Friday night at 7:07 p.m. from the Ralph.
 
Postgame Notes 

• Ludvig Persson, Carson Albrecht, Jake Livanavage and Bennett Zmolek missed tonight's game with injuries
• UND falls to 11-2-0 against the USNTDP, with both losses coming in the last three seasons
• NoDak finished with a 39-23 shot advantage
• The Hawks were 1-for-2 on the power play while the NTDP went 0-for-1
• UND held a 31-21 faceoff advantage, with Jake Schmaltz going 7-1 and Owen McLaughlin going 11-6

  
How It Happened 
First Period                                                     
03:50 | UND – Jackson Blake snipes home a power play goal to give UND a 1-0 lead

Second Period 
02:54 | UND – Logan Britt banks a shot off a defender and into the net to increase the advantage to 2-0
08:47 | NTDP – James Hagens blasts a puck over the goaltender and in to cut the deficit to 2-1
17:23 | NTDP – Lucas Van Vliet ties the game at 2-2 with a backdoor finish

Third Period 
01:18 | NTDP – Kamil Bednarik tucks home a wraparound to give the NTDP a 3-2 advantage
10:20 | UND – Hunter Johannes wires one past the goaltender off the rush to tie the game at 3-3

Overtime
02:25 | NTDP – Cole Hutson wins it in 3-on-3 overtime

For more information on North Dakota hockey, visit FightingHawks.com or follow on social media @UNDmhockey.