Bulldogs blast past Colorado College 5-0 behind Shepard’s record setting shutout effort
UMD players Kobe Roth (10), Tanner Laderoute (13), Noah Cates (21), Jackson Cates (20), and Scott Perunovich (7) celebrate a 3rd period Bulldog goal Saturday Nov. 23 at Amsoil Arena. The Bulldogs went on to win 5-0. (Photo courtesy of Drew Smith/UMD Athletics)
DULUTH, MN -- The No. 9 ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (7-4-1, 4-1-1 NCHC) secured a series sweep of the visiting Colorado College Tigers (4-5-1, 2-3-1 NCHC) with a 5-0 victory Saturday night behind three more power play goals and a 25 save shutout from senior goaltender Hunter Shepard. The shutout marks Shepard’s second of the season, and 17th of his career.
The victory pushed his career win total to 61, moving him into sole possession of first place on UMD’s all time wins list among goaltenders.
"Shep was huge tonight," Bulldog assistant captain Justin Richards said. "He had a couple really big saves. He kept us in the game early when it was a 0-0 game. I'm glad we could put up more than 2-3 goals tonight to give him some breathing room."
The Bulldog power play, quarterbacked by junior defenseman Scott Perunovich, was once again a big factor in UMD taking home the victory. The Dogs finished three for five with the man advantage, with the first of Noah Cates’ two powerplay goals coming on a five on three powerplay.
Perunovich added assists on all three of UMD’s power play tallies, and with seven assists on the weekend finds himself with 18 helpers in just 12 games played.
"He's a great player," Noah Cates said. "He makes guys around him better. He makes those nice passes and creates more room for everyone on the ice."
Perunovich, Cates, and company got the scoring started for UMD a little over halfway through the first period after sophomore center Jackson Cates drew a hooking penalty from a Tiger defender.
Just fourteen seconds later the Bulldog power play struck, with Kobe Roth elevating a wrist shot over sprawling CC netminder, Ryan Ruck, to give UMD the 1-0 lead. The goal was Roth’s fourth tally of the season, and second on the power play.
The Bulldogs doubled up their lead late in the second period on Richards’ second goal of the season. UMD sophomore forward Cole Koepke took a pass from linemate Tanner Laderoute and zipped behind the CC net, attempting a wrap-around on Ruck. Instead the puck slid across the goal crease and right to a waiting Richards, who deposited it in the back of the net to make it 2-0 Bulldogs.
A CC penalty with only 16 seconds left in the middle frame set up the Bulldogs with an opportunity to stretch the lead at the opening of the third period. The opportunity grew 39 seconds into the final period when Tiger defenseman Zach Berzolla hit Roth from behind, sending him flying head first into the boards.
The officials deemed the play worthy of a five minute major for checking from behind, as well as a game misconduct, disqualifying Berzolla from the rest of the contest and putting UMD on a five on three power play for 1:06.
The Bulldogs only needed nine seconds to strike with Noah Cates sniping home a wrist shot from the high slot. He added a second power play goal later in the major to make it 4-0 UMD.
With junior forward Nick Swaney out with injury after being checked head-first into the boards in the previous night’s game, some of UMD’s freshmen found themselves with an opportunity for more ice time.
One of these freshmen, Luke Loheit, made the most of the opportunity, tallying his second goal of the year to finish off the Bulldog’s scoring on the night. He gathered up a Koby Bender rebound and slid it through Ruck to make it 5-0 UMD, a score that would stand to the final horn.
"We're being tested right now," head coach Scott Sandelin said. "The backend has been short handed for a while, obviously with Dylan [Samberg] out the last four games, and up front with [Swaney] out. I'm really proud of our guys, it's not easy. Sometimes when you go through that stuff you go the other way, but I thought our guys battled through it and hopefully we can get everyone back soon."
Looking ahead to next week, the Bulldogs will need all hands on deck as top-ranked Minnesota State-Mankato comes to town for a non-conference showdown for college hockey supremacy in the state of Minnesota.
Friday and Saturday’s games are each set for 7:07 p.m. puck drops from Amsoil Arena. Both games will be broadcast live on MY9 Sports and on the radio on 610 KDAL AM with Bruce Ciskie on the call.