UND’s Kristo Red Baron WCHA Co-Offensive Players of the Week

MADISON, Wis. – University of North Dakota forward Danny Kristo and Colorado College forward Rylan Schwartz, a pair of assistant team captains who both produced impressive numbers in league competition last weekend, have been named Red Baron® WCHA Men’s co-Offensive Players of the Week for February 27.

Kristo, a 5-11, 185-pound senior right winger from Eden Prairie, Minn., had a goal and an assist for two points in each of North Dakota’s two games at Denver on February 22-23, led his team with nine shots on goal and earned a +2 plus/minus rating. In a one-goal 5-4 loss to DU last Friday, Kristo factored in on goals that twice brought his team to within one with an assist in the second period and a shorthanded goal in the third. Then last Saturday he was named the No. 1 Star of the Game after scoring another goal and assist to help propel UND to a 6-1 victory over the host Pioneers, extending his point streak to seven games.

With 43 points (20g, 23a) on the season, Kristo has also surpassed the 150 career point plateau with his 152 leading all active NCAA Div. 1 men’s players. He is a NHL draftee of Montreal.

Schwartz, a 5-10, 196-pound senior from Wilcox, Sask., led the Tigers with a five-point series against league-leading St. Cloud State last weekend. He had a goal and two assists last Friday, including one on the game-winner, and was the No. 2 Star of the Game as Colorado College defeated the Huskies 4-3. He then scored two more goals last Saturday and was the No. 3 Star of the Game in the Tigers’ 5-2 setback. In addition to his five points, Schwartz also had four shots on goal in the series and was a +4 on the plus/minus.

Over his 146-game collegiate career, Schwartz has averaged a point per game with 53 goals, 93 assists and 146 points. He is fifth in scoring overall among WCHA players this season with 40 points (14g, 26a).

Also nominated: Sam Warning, F, UM; Jonny Brodzinski, F, SCSU; Tyler Barnes, F, UW.

Taking a second look at the Michael Parks wrap around goal

This is one of my favorite goals in all of hockey and to pull it off, the players have to be talented, and they have to be fast on their skates, to make it happen. If you watch the play in question, it’s like a football play, where the quarterback throws the ball to a set area, and the receiver runs to that area and catches the ball, for a touchdown.

Mark MacMillan shots the puck around the Denver the net, the goalie reacts to it. Michael Parks picks up that pass, catches the goalie and the Denver defense sleeping and puts the puck in the net before the goalie can get back to his right post. 

If only the sophomore forward Michael Parks hadn’t been hurt to start the season. I just think that he's getting to his mid-season form now. Last season, Carter Rowney, Mark MacMillan and Michael Parks comprised the RPM line and they wrecked-havoc on teams. 

You have to love the expression on Denver goalie Sam Brittain, you can tell that he’s not happy with that goal. 

Related articles

• North Dakota Stomps Wisconsin (insidehockey.com)
• (Video) Brendan O'Donnell goal that was waved off. (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• UND vs. UNO Battle on Ices @6:07 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Knight's Four Points Leads UND Past Holy Cross (insidehockey.com)

(Video) Brendan O'Donnell goal that was waved off.

You have to feel for UND forward Brendan O'Donnell. This is about as close as it gets, looks like Mitch MacMillan on the left wing, was just a step ahead. Wow!!! So, the goalies best friend is the linesman? None-the-less, close call at the blue line. I would be love to see the boys in "Green and White" hang a six spot on this goalie tonight. Luck does run out for goalies... In all of the years that I have watched hockey, I have never seen a goalie that gets as lucky as the Denver Pioneer's goalie Juho Olkinuora.

(Video) DU downs UND 5-4

I don't think anyone is very happy with tonight's results, but it's also not time to panic either. UND has lost 4 games in the last 18 so, I don't think it's time to pull the pin yet. After the game, UND head coach Dave Hakstol didn't seem all that pleased with his team's effort. Basically he said they played a sloppy game.

" I thought we were a very sloppy hockey team tonight. It cost us an opportunity at points," said Hakstol. "You have to be able to sustain that push. You can't just come out with a one or two shift burst. We didn't sustain a whole lot through the entire night."

If there is a positive note with tonight's loss, UND remained 6th in the Pairwise rankings.

UND vs. DU lines

Fighting Sioux Forward Lines

29 Brock Nelson–10 Corban Knight (A) –7 Danny Kristo
16 Mark MacMillan–27 Carter Rowney–15 Michael Parks
Stephane Pattyn 28 –9 Mario Lamoureux (C) – 20 Joe Gleason
8 Dan Senkbeil–13 Connor Gaarder– No forward.

UND Defensive Pairings.

4 Derek Forbort – 24 Ben Blood
2 Andrew MacWilliam (A) – 5 Nick Mattson
18 Dillon Simpson–22 Andrew Panzarella

UND Goalies 

32 Aaron Dell
31 Brad Eidsness
Fighting Sioux Players Stats 

Denver Pioneer Lines
12 – Ty Loney – 15 Drew Shore (C) – 18 Luke Salazar
17 Jason Zucker -23 Nick Shore – 19 Daniel Doremus
37 Nate Dewhurst – 26 – Shawn Ostrow – 8 Dustin Jackson (C)
14 Larkin Jacobson – 25 Matt Tabrum – 22 Jarrod Mermis
16 Zac Larraza

Pioneer Defense Pairing

21 Joey LaLeggia – 5 John Lee
24 John Ryder – 4 Josiah Didier
2 Scott Mayfield 

Goalies

31 Juho Olkinuora
33 Adam Murray
1 Sam Brittain

Pioneer Player Stats

Related articles

• Sioux dismantle Gophers 6-3 in St. Paul (insidehockey.com)
• Sioux vs. Pioneers Final Five championship game notes (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

UND vs. DU game 2

Tonight's game is on 683 DirecTV. 
Radio:  UND 96.1 (KQHT-FM) – The Fox.

Webcast: There will be no webcasts this weekend.  

TV Saturday: Root Sports Rocky Mountain – 683 DirecTV


Fighting Sioux Forward Lines

29 Brock Nelson–10 Corban Knight (A) –7 Danny Kristo
16 Mark MacMillan–27 Carter Rowney–15 Michael Parks
Stephane Pattyn 28 –9 Mario Lamoureux (C) – 20 Joe Gleason
8 Dan Senkbeil–13 Connor Gaarder– No forward.

UND Defensive Pairings. 

4 Derek Forbort – 24 Ben Blood
2 Andrew MacWilliam (A) – 5 Nick Mattson
18 Dillon Simpson–22 Andrew Panzarella

UND Goalies 

31 Brad Eidsness
35 Tate Maris
UND Official Players Stats 

UND Injuries: Forwards Rocco Grimaldi (season knee surgery), Brendan O’Donnell (season ending surgery), and Derek Rodwell (season shoulder surgery) are out.

Denver’s Forward Lines

12 Ty Loney–15 Drew Shore–18 Luke Salazar
17 Jason Zucker–23 Nick Shore–11 Chris Knowlton
37 Nate Dewhurst–26 Shawn Ostrow–8 Dustin Jackson
14 Larkin Jacobson–25 Matt Tabrum–10 Daniel Doremus

Denver Defensive Pairings

7 Paul Phillips–2 Scott Mayfield
24 John Ryder–4 Josiah Didier
21 Joey LaLeggia–5 John Lee

Denver Goalies

31 Juho Olkinuora

1 Sam Brittain
33 Adam Murray

Denver players stats 

Referees: Todd Anderson, Brad Shepherd
Linesmen: Bob Keltie, Tim Swiader

Quote of the week...

This is my nominee for quote of the week. I can only hope that the Fighting Sioux hockey team can keep George Gwozdecky disappointed.

“It’s hard to say anything good about that game. You can say yeah, we scored (three goals), but you have to give full credit to North Dakota. They were better than us in every department,” DU coach George Gwozdecky said. “This is probably one of the most difficult interviews I’ve had to do in a long time because I’m extremely disappointed.”

Related articles

• Will we see a Dasher Dance tonight? (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• DU Pioneers' Joey LaLeggia scores big as a freshman (denverpost.com)
• Why Zucker didn't play last weekend. (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• The Gloves are off UND vs. DU. - College Hockey's version of the Hatfield's and McCoy's (ndgoon.blogspot.com)