GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Fifth-ranked Western Michigan left Ralph Engelstad Arena on the wrong end of a 4-1 result Saturday night, as 10th-ranked North Dakota scored twice in the first period before a packed house of 11,622.
The Broncos fell to 6-2-1 overall and 0-1-1 in the NCHC. North Dakota moved to 5-3-1 and 1-0-1, ending a four-game stretch without a win and taking four league points from the opening weekend. The Fighting Hawks are 4-0-1 at home, their best start in this building since 2020-21, and now leads the series 33-17-2 overall.
Gavin Lindberg opened the scoring at 1:14, converting a feed from Ollie Josephson for his first goal of the season. Cole Reschny made it 2-0 before the first intermission, finishing a pass from Mac Swanson for his fifth goal. Cody Croal pushed the lead to 3-0 at 7:54 of the second with a backhand over the goaltender, his fourth of the year.
Freshman forward Adam Benak finally broke through for the Broncos 8:23 into the last period. He leads the club with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) and has found the net in three straight games, the first Bronco freshman to do that since Ty Henricks in 2024-25. Croal then hit the empty net at 17:57 for his second of the night and first three-point game of his career.
Quentin Miller stopped 24 shots in 58:35 for Western Michigan. Jan Spunar turned aside 17 of 18 for North Dakota, which held the nation’s highest-scoring offense to three goals across the two-game set. The Broncos were outshot 28-18, won only 15 of 46 faceoffs and spent 23 minutes in the box to North Dakota’s six. Neither side scored on the power play.
Western Michigan returns home for its last year at Lawson Arena, hosting 11th-ranked Colorado College on Friday and Saturday. North Dakota visits St. Thomas next Friday.
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