“We do postgame workouts if we don’t sweep.” | Recap from the Ralph: No. 5 UND splits with No. 1 Minnesota in weekend series

MINNESOTA TOOK GAME ONE 4-0 ON FRIDAY; UND RESPONDED WITH A 2-1 WIN SATURDAY.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KVRR) — No. 5 UND lost to No. 1 Minnesota on Friday night, but they get a key win on Saturday night to split with the No. 1 team in the country in the Golden Gophers. Both teams have championship aspirations and we will see how the national ranking shape out after the weekend split.

Game 2 started the scoring with freshman Jayden Perron netting his second goal of the season in the second period. Then in the third came the first ever goal for the young career of Jake Livanavage. Livanavage’s first goal comes by a backhander finding the 5-hole of Gophers goalie Justin Close. With Minnesota finding the back of the net in the third period, that goal proved to be the game-winner. UND played great, stout defense throughout game 2 and held the Minnesota Gophers to just three shots in the second period.

Assistant Captain Carson Albrecht talked about the defense and goaltending in the weekend series.

“I mean Ludvig [Persson]… he’s started us well in every game so far,” said Albrecht. “He’s a huge key player with us and our defensemen are stepping right up to the plate. Obviously a whole new defensive core is hard to come to, but everyone [is] knowing their roles and they’re coming up big.”

UND gets the split against the top-ranked Gophers, but that is not the standard for North Dakota Hockey: they want sweeps, according to Head Coach Brad Berry.

“We have a thing here where…we do postgame workouts if we don’t sweep,” said Berry. “If you get swept or you only win one game [we workout]. If you sweep, you don’t have to do a workout and at the end of the day said to the guys, the standard is the standard. We’re gonna get in the weight room and work out. We’ll take tomorrow off and then we’ll get back at it again.”

UND now prepares to welcome in No. 19 Minnesota State as they continue their competitive non-conference slate to open the season.

UND Vs. Minnesota State will be Friday, October 27 (7:07p.m.) and Saturday, October 28 (6:07 p.m.)

KVRR Sports will have another ‘recap from the Ralph’ next Sunday, October 29.