Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Brad Eidsness returning to UND for senior season.

USA Today Photo
According to UND hockey guru Brad Schlossman junior Goalie Brad Eidsness will be returning for his senior season at the University of North Dakota. This past season Eidsness was relegated to back up goalie after sophomore goalie Aaron Dell took over the starting duties. With the return of Brad Eidsness to the Fighting Sioux roster, it will mean that the Fighting Sioux will not have to rush the development of Sioux goalie recruit Zane Gothberg who was the back up goalie with the Fargo Force last season.
Brad Elliott Schlossman, Grand Forks Herald; Grand Forks Herald --- The UND men’s hockey team will have plenty of question marks next year, but not in the most important position of all.

Goaltender Brad Eidsness, who will earn his undergraduate degree in three years, has decided to return to school for his senior year of eligibility while he begins his pursuit of a masters degree.

Coupled with the decision of Aaron Dell to return for his junior year, UND will have perhaps the best 1-2 tandem in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Dell was an All-American last year after setting the school record in victories and Eidsness is a two-time all-conference goaltender.

While Eidsness played in only seven games as a junior (4.09 goals-against average, .812 save percentage), he proved during his first two seasons that he’s a reliable goaltender capable of carrying the Sioux to a championship.

During his freshman year, he led the Sioux to the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season champions by playing 41 games and posting a 2.56 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. As a sophomore, he led UND to the Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA postseason champion by posting a 2.11 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 41 games.

Eidsness weighed whether to move on from UND because of his lack of playing time as a junior coupled with the completion of his degree.