Crookston, Minn. – Tyler Zahradka (So., F, Grand Forks, N.D.) tallied his first career hat trick and Jared Aamold (Fr., G, Breckenridge, Minn.) made 16 saves to record his first career shutout to lead Golden Eagle hockey to a 3-0 win over the University of North Dakota Club team on Friday night at the Crookston Sports Center.
 
With the win, Minnesota Crookston improves to 2-1-0 (1-0-0 WCCHA), while the Fighting Hawks fall to 0-5 on the season. It was the first WCCHA win for the Golden Eagles in program history.
 
A common theme in the game would be the line of Zahradka, Logan Syrup (Fr., F, Park River, N.D.) and Nikolai Rajala (Fr., F, Coleraine, Minn.) making things happen, as that line would account for all three goals in the game.
 
The first seven and a half minutes would see both teams feeling each other out, but Zahradka would take a beautiful pass from Rajala to put the Golden Eagles up, 1-0. That goal turned out to be the game-winning goal, Zahradka's second of the season.
 
Fighting Hawks goalie Leo Troje would make big saves in the first period, including a huge save on a Zahradka shot right in front of the net to keep the score at one heading into the first intermission.
 
In the second period, it wouldn't take nearly as long for Zahradka to find the back of the net, wristing one past the left shoulder of Troje at the 3:24 mark of the second period to put the Golden Eagles up 2-0. Rajala and Syrup would get the assists on the fourth goal of the season for Zahradka.
 
UND would take five penalties in the game and it wasn't until the fourth man advantage that the Golden Eagles would take advantage. Zahradka would take an unreal cross-ice pass from Syrup to put the Golden Eagles up 3-0.
 
That would be the final score as Aamold would continue to make some big saves down the stretch in the third period to help the Golden Eagles earn their second win of the season.
 
Zahradka's hat trick was the first of his Golden Eagle career and brings him to a team high five goals and is tied for the team high with five points. Syrup's three assists was the most of his career through three games and brings his point total to four points on the season.
 
Syrup finished with a team high of eight shots, while Zahradka and Gunner Ferrier (So., D, Baudette, Minn.) finished with six. Casey Kallock (Sr., D, Alvarado, Minn.) and Jackson Fuller (Fr., F, Bloomington, Minn.) each finished with five. The Golden Eagles outshot the Fighting Hawks 44-16 on the night.
 
The Golden Eagles have won every game against the Fighting Hawks since these two teams started meeting a season ago. Minnesota Crookston improves to 4-0 against UND.
 
The Golden Eagles will look to bring out the brooms tomorrow afternoon against UND. The battle of the birds will drop the puck at 2 P.M., at the Crookston Sports Center.