University of North Dakota Athletics

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Anthony Menghini scored twice and No. 4 North Dakota fired 56 shots on goal to close a perfect exhibition weekend with a 5-1 victory over Manitoba on Sunday afternoon from Ralph Engelstad Arena.
 
Five Fighting Hawks finished with multiple points in the victory, led by Menghini's two goals. Keaton Verhoeff added a goal and an assist, while Carson Carels also posted a goal and a helper. Connor Davis and Hudson Malinoski each chipped in a pair of assists to help NoDak close out a perfect weekend of exhibition play.
 
Freshman goaltender Caleb Heil made his first unofficial collegiate start and turned aside seven of the eight shots he faced over 57 minutes. Fellow rookie Alex Scheiwiller entered following Menghini's second goal and stopped the lone shot he faced over the final 2:54.
 
North Dakota controlled the action from the opening puck drop, outshooting Manitoba 24-0 in the first period and jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Menghini opened the scoring at the 11:06 mark, taking helpers from Malinoski and Davis, before Jack Kernan doubled the advantage just 1:51 later off assists from Verhoeff and Sam Laurila.
 
Manitoba broke through on the power play at 2:45 of the middle frame when Grady Lane cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Fighting Hawks needed less than three minutes to restore the two-goal advantage. Carels struck at 5:27 on feeds from Cooper Simpson and Gavin Lindberg to send UND into the second intermission holding a 3-1 lead.
 
The hosts put the game away with a pair of goals in the final six minutes. Verhoeff cashed in on the power play at 14:28, with Malinoski collecting his second assist of the afternoon, before Menghini capped his two-goal performance at 17:06. Davis and Carels picked up the assists on the final tally.
 
North Dakota will now turn its attention to the games that count, opening the 2026-27 regular season on Friday night against Bemidji State at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. on CCHA.tv via Midco Sports Plus and the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
 
Postgame Notes 

• UND finished with a 56-9 shot advantage
• Connor Davis, Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff, Anthony Menghini and Hudson Malinoski all had multiple points
• NoDak is 31-1-0 all-time against Manitoba across regular season and exhibition play
• Brock Schultz and Ashton Schultz both entered the lineup after not playing Saturday
• Caleb Heil made seven saves on eight shots against while Alex Scheiwiller made one save
• UND went 1-for-5 on the power play while Manitoba was 1-for-2
• Menghini, Verhoeff and Malinoski were named the game's three stars, in that order
• Faceoffs were 37-20 UND, with Cole Reschny pacing UND at 10-3

How It Happened 

First Period:                                                     
11:06 | UND – Anthony Menghini from Hudson Malinoski and Connor Davis
12:57 | UND – Jack Kernan from Keaton Verhoeff and Sam Laurila
Second Period: 
02:45 | UM – Grady Lane (PP) from Ben Bonni and Kaycee Coyle
05:27 | UND – Carson Carels from Cooper Simpson and Gavin Lindberg
Third Period:
14:28 | UND – Keaton Verhoeff (PP) from Malinoski
17:06 | UND – Menghini from Davis and Carels

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