Hockey | 10/16/2026 10:05:00 PM

Fargo, N.D. - University of Minnesota Crookston Hockey moved to 3-0-0 following an 8-1 victory over North Dakota State University on Friday night. Tyler Swanson (Jr., G, Moorhead, Minn.) was the goalie in net for the Golden Eagles, earning the win with 13 saves on 14 shots against. Armand Charland took the net for the Bison, saving 58 of the 66 shots he faced.

The first period was a tight one, with the Golden Eagles striking first six minutes in thanks to a goal by Anthony Foster (Sr., F, Warroad, Minn.) with Brandon Kelly (Sr., D, Minto, N.D.) and Anthony Launderville (Fr., F, Duluth, Minn.) tallying assists. Six minutes and nine seconds later, Launderville found his name on the scoresheet a second time tonight for his second career goal, this goal was assisted by new Golden Eagle captain Mason Romfo (Jr., F, Langdon, N.D.) and stood as the game winning goal. Just 40 seconds later, Grady Fry put home the first and only goal of the night for the Bison. The first period came to an end with the Golden Eagles leading 2-1.

The second period started off with two goals from the visiting Golden Eagles in the first six minutes. The first, just four and a half minutes in, was another goal from the top line as Mason Romfo decided it was his turn to bury the puck in the back of the net. Launderville and Foster earned the helpers on the third goal for the Golden Eagles, with Launderville now earning a point on each of the first three goals. Almost exactly one minute later, Braden Van de Kraats (Jr., F, Medicine Hat, Alberta) extended the lead to 4-1, Colton Balcerak (So., F, Carpentersville, Ill.) and Ben Hines (Sr., F, Detroit Lakes, Minn.) had the assists on this one. Through two periods, the Golden Eagles held that 4-1 lead and Swanson had turned away 10 of the 11 shots he faced. 

The third period saw the quickest goal scored of the night when Anthony Foster rifled home his second goal of the night just under two minutes into the final frame, his goal was unassisted. Four minutes later, Walker McGillis (Fr., F, Mayville, N.D.) scored his second career goal thanks to assists from Colton Balcerak, his first career multi-point game, and Landon Siemens (Fr., D, Bottineau, N.D.) for his first career assist. McGillis was not done putting up goals for the night, he added a second of his own and a seventh for the Golden Eagles later in the third period on a shorthanded goal that was assisted by Van de Kraats. The Golden Eagles' final goal of the evening was scored by Braydon Caron (Fr., F, Mayville, N.D.) with just seven seconds left in the third period. That goal goes down as the first of the career of Braydon Caron and was assisted by Rudy Moser (Jr., F, Langdon, N.D.) for his first point of the young season. 

The Golden Eagles dominated this one, winning by a final score of 8-1. It was a total team effort as the team killed both of their penalties, the offense put up eight goals, the defense held the Bison to just 14 shots, and Tyler Swanson saved all but one shot for his second win of the season and the 17th of his career. The Golden Eagles and Bison will wrap up their season series tomorrow afternoon at 12:30 p.m. at the H.A. Thompson and Sons Arena in Fargo, North Dakota.