CEDAR PARK, Texas — Thousands of UND fans gathered in a field next to H-E-B Center on Saturday afternoon, taking photos with a longhorn, cheering racing armadillos and riding a mechanical bull.
They drank the pregame party out of beer and overwhelmed an underprepared ticket staff so much that they had to delay the game by 10 minutes to get everyone in.
The fans did their part making UND’s latest destination game a memorable event.
But they couldn’t finish it by celebrating a win on Sixth or Rainey Street.
Michigan State forward Cayden Lindstrom scored on a rebound with 3:33 left in the third period, breaking a 3-3 tie and propelling the Spartans to a 5-3 victory in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game.
After winning its first four destination games — Winnipeg, Omaha outdoors, New York City and Las Vegas — the Fighting Hawks have now lost three in a row.
“The fans were unbelievable,” UND coach Dane Jackson said. “Incredible passion and support down here. This one stings to not be a little bit better for them when they come down here and spend their hard-earned money.”
Russell Hons / UND athletics
UND twice rallied from deficits Saturday night, only to give it right back.
Lindstrom’s winner came just 19 seconds after UND freshman Cooper Simpson tied it with a power-play goal.
“Got to be sharper in those small details,” Jackson said. “Got to find a way to be a little stronger on our puck touches, a little more competitive in our defensive game. It’s going to take time. Guys got to mature. We’ve got to coach it better. We’ve got to have a harder mentality.”
After posting back-to-back shutouts against Bentley on Oct. 16-17, UND has allowed 15 goals in three games — all 5-3 losses against Big Ten teams.
They dropped a pair last weekend at rival Minnesota.
“Not good enough again,” UND captain Cole Reschny said. “We’re just giving up too many goals. You’re not going to win when. . . last week we gave up five-goal games, four tonight with an empty-netter. It’s ultimately not good enough.”
Russell Hons / UND athletics
The 6,483 fans at H-E-B Center — nearly all supporting UND — were lively throughout, even singing along to songs during breaks in action.
They were buzzing when UND scored — Simpson buried his first two collegiate goals and Will Zellers tallied the other.
But Michigan State did a good job quelling UND’s pushes.
Zellers tied the game 2-2 at 1:54 of the third period. Michigan State’s leading scorer Anthony Romani answered less than six minutes later on a turnover and busted coverage.
Simpson tied the game with 3:52 left on the power play, but UND gave it up on the next shift. Lindstrom, who took three penalties, poked a rebound past UND freshman goalie Caleb Heil (28 saves).
“We’ve got a lot of guys who are new to college hockey,” Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale said. “I’ll never say that we have a young team. I think it’s a crutch for our guys. But I think reality is for them to execute after giving up a lead, then responding, is huge for our group.”
UND (4-3) now heads home on a three-game losing streak to take on No. 6-ranked Western Michigan, which is 6-1.
“I thought our guys worked,” Jackson said. “I thought our guys competed. They just weren’t sharp enough in the details.”
Russell Hons / UND athletics
Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.
