COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Fourth-ranked North Dakota bounced back in a big way on Saturday night, rolling to a 5-2 victory over Colorado College from Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo.
 
It was a dominant effort up-and-down the lineup, as 12-different Fighting Hawks (17-5-0, 9-3-0 NCHC) found the scoresheet in the victory, including three with multiple points. The blueliners also drove the offense, with six defensemen recording at least a point and two potting goals.
 
The win extends UND's regulation unbeaten streak to nine straight and moves the Fighting Hawks into a five-point lead for first place in the league standings.
 
Dylan James, Cole Reschny and Anthony Menghini each potted multiple points, with James and Reschny each scoring and adding an assist while Menghini dished out a pair of helpers for his first multi-point game in a UND sweater.
 
Bennett Zmolek, Tyler Young and Abram Wiebe also potted goals in the win, as Zmolek struck for the first time since Jan. 20, 2022 when he was at Minnesota State – a stretch of 59 games.
 
Jan Špunar finished with 19 saves on 21 shots against to improve to 11-1-0 on the season.
 
Colorado College jumped out to the strong start in the series finale, striking first near the midway point of the opening period to take a 1-0 lead. The Tigers didn't generate much after the opening goal, however, as UND started to gather momentum as the period wore on.
 
UND took full control of the game in the early moments of the second period, as the power play went to work. Keaton Verhoeff's shot deflected off the skate of James and into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 just 31 seconds into the middle stanza.
 
Just over three minutes later, Cole Reschny made a great centering pass to Zmolek who rifled home his first goal in a UND sweater and first in nearly four years to give UND a 2-1 lead in the second.
 
Špunar stood tall in the latter moments of the middle frame, as the rookie made a pair of highlight saves on last night's hero Philippe Blais-Savoie to keep NoDak in front, 2-1, after 40 minutes.
 
UND kept it rolling in the third period, potting a pair of quick goals to push the advantage to 4-1 just over six minutes into the frame. Young started the scoring when his shot off the rush deflected off the defenseman's stick and beat the goaltender through the legs to make it 3-1 before Wiebe danced around everyone and tucked home his third goal of the season to extend it to 4-1.
 
The Hawks kept pouring it on in the third, as Reschny found the back of the net on a pretty passing play from James and Ben Strinden to give the visitors a 5-1 lead and three goals in the final stanza.
 
CC added one late, but UND closed out the 5-2 victory and will return home to play Denver next weekend beginning on Friday night at 7:07 p.m. (CT) at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
 
Postgame Notes 

• UND improves to 175-90-12 all-time against Colorado College and 62-63-5 in Colorado Springs
• Bennett Zmolek scored his first goal since Jan. 20, 2022 at St. Thomas – a stretch of 59 games
• UND has won nine straight games decided in regulation
• Cole Reschny, Dylan James and Anthony Menghini all had multiple points
• Six defensemen recorded points for UND, including goals from Zmolek and Abram Wiebe
• UND was plus-2 in the third period and is plus-21 this season
• Shots were 30-21 in favor of UND
• Jan Špunar finished with 19 saves on 21 shots against
• NoDak went 1-for-3 on the power play while CC was 0-for-2
• UND improves to 14-0-0 when leading after 40 minutes
• Faceoffs were 32-30 in favor of CC, with Ellis Rickwood leading UND at 13-11

How It Happened 

First Period:                                                     
09:30 | CC – Mats Lindgren (1) from Gavin Lindberg (9) and Fisher Scott (7)

Second Period: 
00:31 | UND – Dylan James (12, PP) from Keaton Verhoeff (8) and Jake Livanavage (17)
04:58 | UND – Bennett Zmolek (1) from Cole Reschny (17) and Andrew Strathmann (2)
 
Third Period:
03:26 | UND – Tyler Young (2) from David Klee (3) and Anthony Menghini (3)
06:25 | UND – Abram Wiebe (3) from Menghini (4) and EJ Emery (3)
11:22 | UND – Reschny (3) from Ben Strinden (9) and James (5)
16:13 | CC – Lindgren (2) from Bret Link (9) and Ryan Alexander (7)

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