Michigan State's 5-3 victory exposes UND offensive imbalance
Cooper Simpson scored his first collegiate goals, but the Fighting Hawks relied on the power play for nearly half of their output in a loss at Cedar Park.
By Camila Herrera ·
Michigan State defeated the University of North Dakota 5-3 during the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game on Saturday night at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas. The result underscores a growing concern for the Fighting Hawks, whose scoring has become heavily dependent on special teams play rather than sustained even-strength production.
Freshman forward Cooper Simpson provided the brightest offensive moment for UND. Elevated from the healthy scratch list to a spot on captain Cole Reschny’s line, Simpson recorded his first two collegiate goals. Both scores arrived on the power play, coming from the right circle. Coach Dane Jackson praised Simpson’s stickhandling and shooting ability, noting that the team had been lacking high-end talent in those areas.
The power play has been the primary engine for UND this season. The team is converting 33.3% of its chances, a rate that places it first in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. However, that efficiency masks a weakness at even strength. Through seven games, 42.3% of UND’s total goals have been scored on the power play, the highest percentage among NCHC teams.
This imbalance is visible in the broader statistics. While UND ranks third in the conference for overall goals per game, it sits sixth for even-strength goals per game. The team also ranks sixth in even-strength expected goals, suggesting that the regular flow of play has not yet produced the volume of shots and chances needed to balance the ledger.
In net, freshman Caleb Heil started for sophomore Jan Špunar. Heil allowed four goals on 32 shots, a performance that contrasted sharply with the previous year’s opener, where freshman Adam Scheel delivered a shutout-winning performance. Jackson explained that the decision to start Heil was driven by a need for internal competition. He cited that some upperclassmen had not performed strongly enough in recent weeks, including in Minneapolis, to hold their spots.
The game’s start was delayed by 10 minutes due to security bottlenecks at the arena. Gates opened one hour before the scheduled puck drop, but staff were unprepared for the sell-out crowd, creating a logjam outside the building. UND administrators worked with arena staff to speed up processing. The team was prepared to delay the start by up to 20 minutes, but the 10-minute extension was sufficient to get fans into their seats.
Hockey Hall of Famer Ed Belfour dropped the ceremonial puck for the opening faceoff. Belfour won the NCAA national championship with UND in 1987, defeating Michigan State in the final. He has maintained a close connection to the program, participating in the golf tournament Friday morning and attending the NoDak Palooza event Friday night in Austin. He also joined the pregame fan festival Saturday afternoon.
The Fighting Hawks’ save percentage stands at .876, ranking 54th of 63 NCAA teams. Jackson said the team must improve its resilience and details in areas where it is currently missing marks. The loss to Michigan State serves as a concrete example of the areas requiring attention before the conference schedule begins in earnest.
