UND defenseman Caleb MacDonald blocks head shot in win over Minnesota State – Grand Forks Herald

MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State had a great chance to tie Friday night's game against UND late in the third period.

A puck entered the left circle for a Mavs player to tackle and shoot. UND defender Caleb MacDonald dove to block the ball.

The shot hit MacDonald in the head. The second-year senior remained on the ice for a few moments as the game continued.

MacDonald stumbled trying to get up and tried to get back into the game. UND finally managed to get the puck out of danger and MacDonald went to the bench.

His blocked shot helped the Fighting Hawks to a 3-2 victory over the Mavericks at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

“That's a very unselfish play when you throw your body, especially your head, in front of a puck,” UND coach Brad Berry said. “Hopefully he’ll be okay tomorrow. But at the end of the day, sacrificing your body for the team says a lot. That’s a big part of the win tonight.”

Berry said MacDonald needed stitches after the game.

His status for the series finale is unknown.

“It was a big challenge for the team,” UND center Carter Wilkie said. “That was huge. You get a little nervous when you see him afterwards. A guy willing to do that for the team is crazy. That's why you get him in the transfer portal. A guy like that is a great D-man.” He's willing to put his body – today his head – on the line for the team. That just makes the guys here more profitable.

“I hope he's okay. But that speaks volumes about his character.”

MacDonald played his freshman year at Alaska (Fairbanks), but UND recruited him out of the NCAA transfer portal in April.

UND has already lost a defender.

Junior Bennett Zmolek had to miss Friday's series opener due to injury. With his absence, UND fielded a defensive corps without an upperclassman. Freshman Jayden Jubenvill took Zmolek's spot in the lineup and made his college debut.

If MacDonald and Zmolek are both unable to compete Saturday at 6:07 p.m., UND would likely sign sophomore Tanner Komzak.

Dane Montgomery dressed as an extra skater on Friday but didn't play. Montgomery can play forward or in defense.

UND's best defenders played big minutes in the series opener.

Jake Livanavage played a team-best time of 25:28. Freshman EJ Emery played 24:20. Abram Wiebe played 24:09. MacDonald was at 19:42.

Freshmen Andrew Strathmann (12:16) and Jubenvill (6:39) were usually paired with older players by defensive line coach Dillon Simpson.

Livanavage led UND with four blocked shots. MacDonald finished with three.

• UND had a slight edge in expected goals at 1.85 to 1.63, but at even strength the Mavs had a lead of 1.57 to 1.14. UND was buoyed by its seven minutes of power play time.
• The Fighting Hawks only conceded one minor penalty in the game – a hooking call against Wilkie in the first period. The Mavericks did not register a single shot on goal on this power play opportunity.
• UND's power play through two games is 3-for-6.
• Jake Schmaltz (8-3) and Louis Jamernik V (6-2) were UND's best players at the faceoff point. They started the game together but were eventually moved to different lines in the third period as Berry juggled units.
• Jayden Perron, who made a habit of hitting the post last season, got his first post of the year in the second period on Friday.
• Minnesota State's minutes leader was defenseman Campbell Cichosz. He played 27:25. Defenseman Evan Murr was second at 21:14.
• Minnesota State's fourth line was particularly effective. Fourth-line winger Will Hillman had 10 shot attempts for the Mavericks, a game-high. Perron led UND with nine.
• Former officiating WCHA affiliates Derek Shepherd and Marco Hunt were in attendance at the game. Shepherd is now a supervisor of officers at the CCHA.

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the best beat writer for the Herald's circulation department and once as the North Dakota Sportswriter of the Year. He lives in Grand Forks. Reach him at [email protected].