GRAND FORKS, N.D.—North Dakota’s Rocco Grimaldi made Colorado College pay for a turnover in front of its own net by scoring the winner in a 3-2 UND victory Saturday.
Grimaldi intercepted a Gustav Olofsson pass right in front of the Tigers’ net and scored at 8:20 of the third to give UND a sweep of their National Collegiate Hockey Conference series.
Grimaldi has scored a point in each game during North Dakota’s seven-game run—its longest winning streak since 2012.
“Everybody just stuck with what we wanted to do and we got a bounce for a game-winner,” said North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol, who moved into second place all-time at UND in games coached with 411.
Five of UND’s current seven straight wins have been by a 3-2 score.
“That’s the way it’s going to be,” Hakstol added. “There are going to be a lot of close hockey games. Tonight we played a good hockey game all the way through.”
Jaccob Slavin’s power-play goal early in the third period gave Colorado College a 2-1 lead. But Keaton Thompson and Grimaldi scored just two minutes apart to put UND back on top.
Slavin had three goals in two games after returning from the World Junior championship.
Mark MacMillan scored a goal for the second straight night for North Dakota (11-7-2, 7-5-0).
Alexander Krushelnyski had a goal and an assist for struggling Colorado College (2-15-3, 2-7-3).
MacMillan, playing in his 100th career game, gave UND a 1-0 lead midway through the first period. He picked up the puck at the blue line, skated around the defense and across the goal crease, then back-handed the puck into the net at 11:09.
Krushelnyski assisted on Slavin’s goal in the third period on the power play, sending a pass through the crease to Slavin alone on the back side for an easy goal.
UND tied it at 6:16 of the third on Thompson’s second goal of the season. His last goal was on Nov. 29, which was North Dakota’s last loss.
“I pretty much closed my eyes and let her rip,” Thompson said. “It shows a lot of character going down early in the third and coming back.”
UND goalie Zane Gothberg has backstopped each game on the current win streak. He had 21 saves, including 10 in the first period.
Colorado College goalie Josh Thorimbert made 22 saves, but he couldn’t stop the Tigers from losing for the 19th time in 20 games.
