The game misconduct given to North Dakota junior Erik Fabian 1 minute, 30 seconds into Friday’s game at Denver was not how the Fighting Sioux wanted to begin the key two-game series with the two-time defending NCAA champions.
Beyond that, the first period was exactly what the Fighting Sioux had in mind. North Dakota easily killed off Fabian’s five-minute major for checking from behind, then scored the only three goals of the first period and cruised to a chippy 6-2 victory before a sellout crowd of 6,140 at Magness Arena.
Jonathan Toews, Mike Prpich and T.J. Oshie scored at 2:42, 11:37 and 16:32 of the first period, and goalie Jordan Parise kept DU off the board until late in the second period.
“It was tough that we got a major right off the bat there, but sometimes you’re going for the hit and the guy turns his back,” Toews said. “But we killed if off, got a couple goals and kept applying pressure.”
Ryan Duncan, Toews and Andrew Kozek added third-period goals, cementing North Dakota’s third straight win in a game that saw DU coach George Gwozdecky ejected with 11:02 to play.
Gwozdecky, whose team has lost three consecutive games after winning seven in a row, stood on top of the boards in front of his bench, screaming at referee Todd Anderson after Prpich speared DU’s Geoff Paukovich below the belt during a faceoff following Toews’ second goal.
Paukovich was the player who illegally checked Sioux defenseman Robbie Bina from behind in last year’s WCHA Final Five in St. Paul, Minn., breaking Bina’s neck.
“I felt at that point something needed to be said,” Gwozdecky said. “I fully expect that I won’t have to do that again. There was a purpose behind it.”
The Sioux (21-13-1, 14-11 WCHA) improved to 12-5-1 on road and 9-1-1 in their past 11 games at Denver. North Dakota didn’t play here last season but won 8-2 and 6-2 in 2003-04. In 10 games since then, the Sioux have gone just 3-6-1 against DU and have lost six of their past eight.
The Pioneers (18-13-2, 15-8-2) appeared in good shape early Friday, after Fabian illegally crushed Steven Cook against the wall. But DU wiped out a good chunk of its advantage by taking two penalties during the major.
Ryan Dingle was sent off for holding nine seconds after Fabian’s major, and Toews scored 1:03 later, faking a feed during a 2-on-1 and wristing the puck over Peter Mannino’s shoulder.
North Dakota 3 0 3 – 6
Denver 0 1 1 – 2
First period – 1, North Dakota, Toes 14 (Stafford), 2:42 (4×4). 2, North Dakota, Prpich 6 (Duncan), 11:37. 3, North Dakota, Oshie 18 (unassisted), 16:32. Penalties – Fabian, UND (5-checking from behind, game misconduct), 1:30; Dingle, DU (holding), 1:39; Butler, DU (roughing), 4:47; Veideman, DU (hooking), 8:09;
Second period – 4, Denver, Gauthier 14 (May), 19:11. Penalties – Finley, UND (interference), 2:37; Testwuide, DU (cross checking), 10:21; Prpich, UND (hooking), 13:20; Testwuide, DU (tripping), 16:27; Thomas, DU (interference), 19:56.
Third period – 5, North Dakota, Duncan 10 (Stafford, Radke), 1:04 (pp). 6, Denver, May 5 (Mullen, Carle), 3:36. 7, North Dakota, Toews 15 (Lee), 8:17. 8, North Dakota, Kozek 5 (Watkins, Smaby), 16:53. Penalties – Prpich, UND (cross checking), 8:58; DU bench (game misconduct), 8:58; Porter, UND (high sticking), 11:10; Paukovich, DU (hooking), 13:58; Helgason, DU (slashing), 19:07; Radke, UND (slashing), 19:07; Radke, UND (cross checking), 19:07.
Shots on goal -UND 10-9-12-31. DU 8-4-11-23. Power play opportunities – UND 1 of 6. DU 0 of 7. Goalies – UND, Parise (16-6-1) 23 shots-21 saves. DU, Mannino (10-7) 31-25. A – 6,140.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
