BEMIDJI, Minnesota. (KNFL/KFGO/UND athletics) – Fourth-ranked North Dakota opened the 2026-27 season with a 3-2 victory over Bemidji State on Friday night from the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn.
Sophomore forward Cole Reschny broke a 2-2 deadlock with just under five minutes remaining in the third period with his second goal of the night to help lead the Fighting Hawks (1-0-0) to their eighth straight win in season openers.
The pair of goals marks the first two-goal game for the Macklin, Sask., native while fellow sophomore forward Will Zellers dished out three helpers for the first time in a UND sweater and recorded his fourth three-point game of his career in the win.
Junior forward Mac Swanson notched a power play goal in the second period while freshman forward Cooper Simpson recorded his first-collegiate assist in the victory. Sophomore goaltender Jan Špunar finished with 18 saves on 20 shots against to improve to 1-0-0 on the young campaign.
After Bemidji State struck first near the midway point of the first, Reschny leveled the score just 30 seconds later after pouncing on a loose puck in the crease to score the first goal of the season for the Fighting Hawks and make it 1-1 after 20 minutes.
The play opened up in the second period, with both sides generating multiple grade-a chances throughout the frame. The Beavers took the lead back on a 2-on-1 rush, but the power play worked the Hawks back into the contest. Cooper Simpson threaded a perfect pass to Swanson before the junior touched both posts and the back of the net to even the game at 2-2 heading into the final period.
UND, who was the best team in the nation last season in the third period, looked all the bit the same once again in the final 20, as the Hawks finished with a 10-2 shot advantage and took full control of the game.
Jack Kernan looked to have given the visitors a 3-2 lead early in the final frame, but BSU successfully challenged for goaltender interference to bring the game back level to two apiece. NoDak finally took the lead for the first-and-final time with just under five minutes to play when Zellers threaded a beautiful pass to Reschny, who then danced around the goaltender and tucked a backhander home for his second goal of the night.
Špunar made one of his best saves in the night in the closing seconds with a slick glove stop to secure the victory and a 1-0 start for UND.
North Dakota will gun for the weekend sweep tomorrow night at 6:07 p.m. (CT) from Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks, N.D. The contest will air on Midco Sports, NCHC.tv and the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
Postgame Notes
- UND improves to 40-6-8 all-time against Bemidji State and 13-3-3 in Bemidji
- The Hawks have now won eight straight season openers dating back to 2019
- UND also won its first game of the season playing on the road for the first time since 2012
- Cole Reschny scored two goals for the first time in his career
- Five players made their collegiate debuts for UND
- Four transfers also made their UND debuts in the win
- Cooper Simpson recorded his first-collegiate point with an assist
- Will Zellers dished out three helpers in a game for the first time in his career
- Zellers tallied his fourth three-point night of his career
- Reschny now has six points (2G, 4A) in three games against BSU
- Zellers also has five points (2G, 3A) in three games against the Beavers
- Shots were 28-20 in favor of North Dakota
How It Happened First Period:
11:05 | BSU – Will Dawson (1) from Jaksen Panzer (1) and Jiri Klima (1)
11:35 | UND – Cole Reschny (1) from Will Zellers (1)
Second Period:
09:10 | BSU – Ethan Miedema (1)
13:24 | UND – Mac Swanson (1, PP) from Cooper Simpson (1) and Zellers (2)
09:10 | BSU – Ethan Miedema (1)
13:24 | UND – Mac Swanson (1, PP) from Cooper Simpson (1) and Zellers (2)
Third Period:
15:21 | UND – Reschny (2) from Zellers (3) and Sam Laurila (1)
15:21 | UND – Reschny (2) from Zellers (3) and Sam Laurila (1)
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