Box Score Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. – North Dakota got a second-period goal from former Omaha Lancer Danny Kristo and hung on for a 2-1 win over the Omaha hockey team on Friday at the CenturyLink Center.
The loss dropped the Mavericks to 16-11-2 overall and 12-7-2 in the WCHA, putting them in a tie with Minnesota and North Dakota for second place. North Dakota improved to 15-8-6 overall and 10-5-6 in the league. UNO has now lost two straight.
The two teams conclude the series on Saturday afternoon at the Mutual of Omaha Battles on Ice. They will face-off at 4:07 p.m. at TD Ameritrade Park, home of the NCAA Division I Men's College World Series.
On the game-winning goal,
Dayn Belfour, in his first start of the season, made several acrobatic saves, but Kristo eventually fired home the puck during a mad scramble in the UNO crease.
The Mavericks outshot UND 14-7 in the third period but could not beat goalie Zane Gothberg again.
Zahn Raubenheimer had the best chance, but his shot was smothered by defenseman Andrew MacWilliam as he took aim at a wide-open net.
The Mavericks opened the scoring at 7:53 of the first period. Raubenheimer was set up for a shot in tight that glanced off the outside of the UND net.
Josh Archibald picked up the rebound and threw the puck in front to
Ryan Walters who fired in his team-leading 17th goal of the year.
UND tied the game just 1:07 later. Kristo set up Rocco Grimaldi for a shot that ricocheted into the net off a UNO defender.
UND finished with a 36-34 shot advantage. Belfour made 34 saves in his first start since Jan. 21, 2012. Gothberg turned aside 33.
The game was played in front of a season-high crowd of 9,487, many of them North Dakota fans who had made the trip down for Saturday's historic outdoor game.
