Manitoba's riese gaber takes home third penrose cup
The University of North Dakota captured its sixth Penrose Cup in franchise history with a 3-0 shutout over the University of Western Michigan on Saturday.
The No. 3 seed Fighting Hawks beat Western Michigan (No. 12 seed) from the Ralph Engelstad Arena at home, punching their ticket as the No. 1 seed for the NCHC tournament, to which they will face Miami in a three-game series in the quarterfinal starting March 15.
Ludvig Person picked up his fifth shutout of the season, turning aside all 35 shots he faced. Jackson Blake scored another highlight reel goal and hit 50 points on the season, while captain Riese Gaber led the charge from the ice, bench and dressing room - as he has done for the entirety of his college hockey career.
Selected as team captain for the 2023-24 season by his peers, Gilbert Plains' Gaber was first to touch the trophy, taking it from National Collegiate Hockey Conference commissioner Heather Weems for a twirl around the ice. The win was his third in four seasons, first as captain, and the team's fourth in five seasons.
"This is why I came back," Gaber said to Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald. "To have the success we missed out on last year and being able to experience these moments. I love Grand Forks; what I just experienced out there, that's everything right there."
For head coach and former Winnipeg Jets defenceman Brad Berry, it was his fifth victory in nine seasons.
"You couldn't script it any better," Berry said. "Winning it on your home ice in front of your loyal fans, winning it for your seniors when their parents are here this weekend."
Prior to the quarterfinal, North Dakota will end its regular season with a back-to-back, Friday-Saturday weekend series in Nebraska against the Omaha Mavericks.
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