GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The Mercyhurst men's hockey team began 2026 with a trip to No. 4 North Dakota for the first time in program history. The Fighting Hawks scored in the first period on the powerplay, were shut out in the second, and netted a late goal in the third to win 2-0. Charles-Edward Gravel was named the second star of the game as he made a career-high 46 saves. Defensively, the Lakers had 25 blocks. 
 
The first period opened with Mercyhurst (0-16-1, 0-9-1 AHA) facing the offensive prowess of North Dakota (15-4-0. 8-2-0 NCHC). Gravel successfully saved multiple attempts early on, maintaining a scoreless tie for the Lakers despite a barrage of shots. Mercyhurst encountered a an early setback when Tyler DesRochers received a slashing penalty at 13:35, leading to a power-play opportunity for the Fighting Hawks who capitalized. Despite the early goal, the Laker's defense held firm. Gravel made 18 saves, and the period concluded with the team down 1-0.
 
Mercyhurst's second period was highlighted by a power play opportunity early on. Despite several attempts, including shots from Trent Sambrook and Sean James, the Lakers were unable to convert the advantage into a goal. The Lakers maintained defensive resilience, with significant contributions from Gravel, who consistently denied the Fighting Hawk's attempts. Gravel made another 16 saves this period and kept North Dakota scoreless. The score was 1-0 heading into the final frame. 
 
The Lakers began the period with some boosted confidence. Ryan Coughlin won an early faceoff which was followed by five consecutive shots from DesRochers, Noah Sedore, John Larkin, and Connor Pelc. However, the Fighting Hawks were resilient. The Lakers had held the number four team in the nation to just one goal after 55 minutes of play before North Dakota found a second goal with five minutes remaining. The Lakers pulled Gravel late in the period, and despite a few blocks and some offensive attempts, the final score was 2-0 from the Ralph.
 
Puck drop for game two of this series will take place tomorrow, Jan. 3 at 7:07 p.m. ET.