Grand Forks, ND – After suffering through an injury riddled season a year ago UND was looking forward to having a full roster to work with.
After one week and an exhibition game under their belt – UND already is two players down with injuries – out this week is sophomore forward Michael Parks’s lower body injury – the severity of his injury is unknown at this time. Also, senior forward Carter Rowney undisclosed injury and is listed as being day-to-day.
After the game UND head coach Dave Hakstol was asked if there was an update on the injured forward Michael Parks.
“You know what… I know I told you that I thought I would have something but I think he’s [Parks] being evaluated right now so I don’t, Hakstol said. I think it will be probably Monday before I have any more information.”
Injuries or not – the game must go on.
UND didn’t seem to miss a beat at all tonight – especially with the newly constructed first line of Rocco Grimaldi, Corbin Knight and Danny Kristo – that line was brilliant as they accounted for eight points on the night and Under 18 team really had no answer for their speed – that line did taper off a bit during the latter part of the game but they were impressive in their first time out together in game action.
UND head coach Dave Hakstol was asked about his impression of the top line.
“I don’t know that I am ready to really evaluate it today,” Hakstol said. “Obviously there were some good things offensively. I want to take a closer look at it and evaluate it over a couple of days and take a look at some of the game tape, you know there was a lot of good there. I want to take a look I guess in a sense of what small areas we can be improved; you know to improve the overall chemistry of the unit in all three zones. It’s not just one zone of play, that’s what I would like to take a close look at – I thought there was a lot of good there.
Corbin Knight was asked about his impressions of his team’s play in the second exhibition game to start the season.
“I think it worked pretty good, obviously we were able to make some offensive plays I think over all we need to tighten up our offensive game a little bit I think,” Knight said. A couple times we let up a little… too many chances in the defensive zones there so it’s probably something we need to work on this week to get ready for next weekend.
The game was a tale of two goalies, Junior goalie Clarke Saunders started the game and stopped 24 of 25 shots and looked solid. Freshman goalie Zane Gothberg enter the game at the half way point and appeared to fight the puck. Gothberg stopped eight of 11 shots.
For the most part UND out played the USNDT team – but gave up a few untimely goals when they got into penalty trouble during the latter half of the game. Team USNDT U-18 was able to put three power play goals past freshman goalie Zane Gothberg to make the game close.
UND begins their nonconference regular season play as they travel to the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tourney in Fairbanks, Alaska.
UND will face some adversity during their first weekend of the season.
UND will be without senior forward Danny Kristo who is suspended for the first two games of the season and will not be back until the first home series the following weekend against the University of Alaska Anchorage on October 26 and 27.
UND will also miss sophomore forward Brendan O'Donnell, senior defenseman Andrew MacWilliam, senior forward Carter Rowney and senior forward Corbin Knight who will all serve a one game suspension during first game against the University of Alaska Anchorage at the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tourney for a violation of team rules.
On the following night of the Brice Alaska Goal Rush tourney, sophomore forwards Connor Gaarder, Stephane Pattyn and sophomore defenseman Andrew Panzarella will all sit out for a violation of team rules.
Cross Posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine
Cross Posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine
