The University of North Dakota (UND) Fighting Hawks secured a 5-3 victory against Bemidji State on January 5, 2024, showcasing the impressive skills of its rookie centers, Cole Reschny and Ollie Josephson. Competing without senior center Ellis Rickwood, who missed the game due to injury, the two freshmen made a significant impact, contributing a combined six points and winning 61% of faceoffs.
Reschny recorded three assists, while Josephson netted one goal and provided two assists. “They’re such strong two-way players,” said UND head coach Dane Jackson. “We’ve talked about the heavy responsibility that is for two young guys in college hockey. They’re playing against other teams’ best players. They’re penalty killing. They’re power playing. They were out in the last minute of the game. That’s a huge place to start.”
As the game unfolded at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minnesota, other players also stepped up. Ben Strinden scored an even-strength goal, while Will Zellers and Cade Littler added power-play goals. Dylan James scored shorthanded, and Josephson capped off the scoring with an empty-net goal. This victory marked a significant achievement for the Fighting Hawks, who had previously faced overtime in their last seven matchups against Bemidji State.
With the Fighting Hawks holding a narrow one-goal lead in the final moments, Jackson relied on Reschny and Josephson to maintain the advantage. Their performance proved effective.
“It was a hard-fought game by both teams,” said Reschny, whose father traveled from Macklin, Saskatchewan, to support him. “I think we both brought hard games. We were both solid in all areas. I think we stepped up. It was a back-and-forth game. Ultimately, we came out on top. But they’re a good team, and it’s going to be a hard-fought game tomorrow.”
Both Reschny and Josephson were key recruits from the Western Hockey League earlier this summer, and their impact is already being felt. Reschny, a first-round pick of the Calgary Flames, now boasts 14 points in 13 games, with 10 points coming in the last six. Josephson, selected in the fourth round by the Seattle Kraken, has nine points in the same number of games.
“Obviously, Ricky is huge for us,” Josephson noted regarding Rickwood’s absence. “He’s great everywhere, so it’s a big loss for us. But I think there have been a lot of guys who have stepped up — not only the centers. All of the forwards have been a huge part.”
The Fighting Hawks improved their season record to 9-4 and will aim for a series sweep against the Beavers on January 6, 2024, at 18:07. This win also ended Bemidji State’s six-game home winning streak, dropping their record to 9-6-2. The Beavers, competing in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, have struggled against teams from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, now holding a 0-5 record against them this season.
Josephson reflected on the game’s challenges, stating, “It was a hard battle all night. We knew that coming in. It was maybe a bit of a slow start on our side, but I thought we stuck with it. I thought around the 10-minute mark of the first period, we started going, and I thought we were going from there.”
Bemidji State opened the scoring at 9:49 in the first period with a goal from Connor McClennon, who converted a pass from Max Namestnikov. However, the Fighting Hawks quickly responded, with Strinden scoring at 11:20 after receiving a feed from Reschny. This goal marked Strinden’s eighth of the season, tying his career high.
The teams exchanged goals throughout the game. UND took a 2-1 lead with a power-play goal from Zellers at 8:33 of the second period, only for Jake McLean of Bemidji State to equalize just 1:21 later. The Fighting Hawks regained the lead shortly after with James’ shorthanded goal, but the Beavers responded again with a goal from Maxon Vig, whose father captained UND in 1998.
Littler’s deflected power-play shot at 16:24 of the third period proved to be the decisive goal. UND goalie Jan Špunar registered 17 saves, maintaining his perfect rookie record at 5-0. He shut out all six shots from the Beavers in the final period.
“It was a solid game on the road,” Jackson remarked. “It’s hard to beat these guys in their barn. I was proud of the way the guys handled the pressure of a one-goal game in the third.”
In addition to Rickwood, UND played without three other injured players. Winger Josh Zakreski remains sidelined long-term, and defenseman Bennett Zmolek missed his first game of the season. Meanwhile, Bemidji State’s Adam Flammang was held scoreless for only the third time this season.
The stage is set for a thrilling rematch as the Fighting Hawks look to build on their momentum and achieve a series sweep against the Beavers.
