UND Athletics/Russell Hons
MANKATO, Minn. – (UND Athletics) No. 5 North Dakota suffered its first loss of the 2024-25 season, dropping a 3-0 decision to No. 20 Minnesota State on Saturday night from the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato, Minn.
UND (2-1-0) was stifled by Minnesota State (3-3-0) goaltender Alex Tracy, as the junior finished with 27 saves to record his fourth shutout of his career and first of the year.
It was a similar start for both teams as yesterday’s contest, with each side getting sustained shifts and chances in the offensive zone, but once again it was the Mavericks who took the early lead when Adam Eisele snapped a shot past Hedquist at 13:03 of the first to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at the intermission.
The similarities to Friday night continued in the middle stanza, with MSU doubling its lead near the midway point of the frame on Josh Groll’s third goal of the weekend to make it 2-0 Mavericks. UND closed the period with a good push, but once again headed to the intermission trailing by a pair.
NoDak pushed for the tying goals in the third, but Tracy held off the pressure and secured the series split with a 3-0 victory following a Brian Carrabes empty netter in the final two minutes.
North Dakota returns home to welcome another ranked foe Boston University for a series beginning on Friday night at 7:07 p.m. from Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Postgame Notes
- UND falls to 41-14-9 all-time against Minnesota State and 16-7-5 in Mankato
- Bennett Zmolek and Caleb MacDonald missed the game with injuries
- Hobie Hedquist made his first start of the season and first-career start on the road
- The Hawks went 0-for-1 on the power play while MSU was 0-for-2
- NoDak was shutout for the first time since Oct. 20, 2023 vs. Minnesota
- UND was also shutout on the road for the first time since Feb. 25, 2023 at Colorado College
- The Hawks attempted 77 shots, with only 27 reaching the goal
- Minnesota State finished with 34 blocked shots compared to just seven for UND
- NoDak finished with a 30-23 advantage in the dot, with Jake Schmaltz pacing everyone at 11-5
How It Happened
First Period
13:03 | MSU – Adam Eisele (2)
Second Period
02:20 | MSU – Groll (3) from Eisele (3) and Pitlick (3)
Third Period
18:18 | MSU – Brian Carrabes (3)
Game Recap: Men’s Hockey | | Alec Stocker Johnson, FightingHawks.com
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