Colorado College swept its first series since claiming the nation’s No. 1 ranking, edging ninth-ranked North Dakota 1-0 Saturday in a nailbiter before a sellout crowd of 7,661 at World Arena.
Tiger netminder Matt Zaba stopped all 36 UND shots to secure the win for CC. The Tigers completed the sweep despite being outshot 36-14 by the Fighting Sioux in the contest, including a 15-2 margin in the third period.
The outcome, nonetheless, was the third time this season that UND has been shut out, with Minnesota and Wisconsin doing the previous honors.
The only goal of the game was scored by the Tigers’ Braydon Cox at 11:20 of the second period. It was Cox’s second goal of the season, assisted by Brandon Polich and Jesse Stokke.
After a scoreless first period, in which each team fired seven shots on goal, UND dominated the final two periods, outshooting CC, 29-7.
After Cox’s goal, UND’s Chris Porter appeared to tie it with 1:54 remaining in the second period, but the goal was disallowed, as Porter was ruled to have been in the goal crease.
UND killed off a Colorado College 5-on-3 power play early in the second, the third time in two nights the Sioux stopped the Tigers in a 5-on-3 situation.
The Sioux held CC without a shot on goal for the first 9:08 of the third period and applied heavy pressure on Zaba, but the CC sophomore was not to be beaten.
UND goaltender Philippe Lamoureux stopped 13 of 14 CC shots but took the loss.
With the win, Colorado College raised its record to 20-3-1 overall and 13-3-0 in the WCHA, while North Dakota fell to 14-10-2 overall and 10-9-1 in the WCHA.
