DU Falls to North Dakota in Hard-Fought Battle at Magness Arena

In a physical, playoff-style matchup, the No. 6 Denver Pioneers fell 3-1 to No. 17 North Dakota on Saturday night at Magness Arena, splitting the weekend series.

DU head coach David Carle emphasized the importance of these high-intensity games, stating, “It’s playoff hockey. It’s hard hockey. It’s good for us to go through these games and understand again that the margins are tight.” The game had significant implications for both national rankings and the NCHC standings.

Despite the loss, DU controlled play for large stretches, outshooting North Dakota 35-23, particularly in the second and third periods. However, the Pioneers struggled to convert their chances, stymied by UND goaltender T.J. Semptimphelter, who turned aside 34 shots.

North Dakota opened the scoring in the first period with a goal from Ben Strinden. DU responded in the second with a 5-on-3 power play goal from Carter King, assisted by Zeev Buium and Aidan Thompson. However, the Fighting Hawks regained the lead with a power-play goal from Cameron Berg and extended their advantage early in the third with a shorthanded tally by Dylan James.

The game reached a boiling point late, culminating in a heated exchange that resulted in 22 penalties and a combined 156 penalty minutes. Carle downplayed the incident, saying, “It’s hockey. It’s an emotional game. Both teams stand up for each other, and it is what it is.”

Despite the loss, DU saw strong individual performances. King and Thompson moved closer to their 100th career points, while sophomore goaltender Freddie Halyk made 20 saves in his third start of the season.

Post Game Fight – this was not in our preview

After the clock struck zero, there was some extra curricular. There must have been fighting in there air as the USA vs Canada opened with three fights as well

Postgame Notes:

• DU finished the season series against North Dakota with a 3-1-0 record.
• The Pioneers are 4-2-1 in their last seven games.
• DU recorded a season-high 82 penalty minutes in the game.

Up Next:

Denver looks to regroup as they head to Oxford, Ohio, for a series against the Miami RedHawks, aiming to maintain their strong road performance.