Box Score
Jordan Parise |
ST. PAUL, Minn. – UND goalie Jordan Parise (So., Faribault, Minn.) made 33 saves to lead the 13th-ranked UND men’s hockey team to a 3-2 win over 11th-ranked Wisconsin on Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center in the WCHA Final Five’s play-in game. The Sioux, seeded fifth in the tournament, will advance to play No. 1-seeded Denver at 2:37 p.m. on Friday.
UND, unbeaten in its last seven games (5-0-2), raised its record to 21-13-5 with the win, while Wisconsin fell to 23-13-4.
The Sioux twice led by two goals, at 2-0 and 3-1, but Wisconsin cut the lead both times.
UND led 2-1 going into the third period and raised its lead to 3-1 on a power play goal by Colby Genoway (Sr., Morden, Manitoba) at 9:44 of the third period.
But the Badgers scored just 59 seconds later while the Sioux were on another power play. The Badgers’ Adam Burish picked off a pass in his own end and scored a shorthanded goal, the first allowed by North Dakota this season.
Wisconsin pulled starting goalie Bernd Bruckler with 1:39 to play, but UND held on for the win.
Parise made 13 of his saves while the Sioux were on the power play and raised his own season record to 13-6-3.
UND opened the scoring at 1:22 on the first shot of the game. Sioux forward Brady Murray (So., Brandon, Manitoba) scored on a pass from Travis Zajac (Fr., Winnipeg, Manitoba) after a 2-on-1 break. It was Murray’s eighth goal of the season and snapped a five-game scoreless streak for Murray.
The Sioux made it 2-0 on James Massen’s (Sr., Bismarck, N.D.) second goal of the season at 14:08. Massen one-timed a pass from Brian Canady (Sr., Kenai, Alaska) past UW goalie Bernd Bruckler.
Wisconsin cut UND’s lead to 2-1 at 15:08 when Robbie Earl scored on a backhander after picking up his own rebound. It was Earl’s 20th goal of the season.
The Badgers outshot the Sioux, 11-7, in the first period. UND killed off three UW power plays, while Wisconsin killed two North Dakota power play tries.
The second period was scoreless, with Wisconsin outshooting UND, 14-9, in the period. The Sioux killed both UW power play opportunities in the second.
By winning, UND ensured itself of two more games in the tournament. After playing Denver on Friday afternoon, the Sioux will play again on Saturday. A win against Denver would put UND in Saturday’s 7:37 p.m. Final Five championship game, while a loss would mean the Sioux would play in Saturday’s 2:37 p.m. Final Five third-place game.
Contact: Dan Benson
