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DULUTH — Senior defenseman Joey Pierce leads No. 4-ranked Minnesota Duluth in blocked shots with 27 going into this weekend’s NCHC series Friday and Saturday at Colorado College, but the Bulldogs’ captain from Hermantown is not the king of blocks inside Amsoil Arena.
That honor belongs to senior defenseman Riley Bodnarchuk, who has developed a reputation for taking a puck to the body anywhere, at any time, whether its gameday or a weekday practice.
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And Bodnarchuk has the bruises to prove it, Pierce said.
“He’s in the shower with big ole black and blue marks all over his body in different areas. It’s awesome,” Pierce said. “It sends a message for everyone that he’s doing it in practice, and then you see it in the game. That’s what we need every day.”
Average per game
Per CollegeHockeyNews.com
Ty Hanson, So, 24:25
Adam Kleber, So, 21:07
Aaron Pionk, Jr, 18:18
Grayden Siepmann, Fr, 17:04
Joey Pierce, Sr, 16:43
Riley Bodnarchuk, Sr, 10:28
Brady Cleveland, Jr, 9:44
Jake Toll, Fr, 5:45
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Bodnarchuk, of Okotoks, Alberta, has spent most of his four seasons at UMD (11-3 overall, 4-2 NCHC) as a seventh defensemen. His No. 20 can often be found at the very bottom of the line chart as the 19th skater. He averaged just six minutes of ice time per game a year ago, and suited up a collegiate-low 13 times.
One of just two returning seniors this season along with Pierce, Bodnarchuk decided to return to UMD for his senior season, even though he may have been able to find a larger role elsewhere in collegiate hockey via the transfer portal.
Joey Pierce, D, 27
Ty Hanson, D, 19
Aaron Pionk, D, 15
Adam Kleber, D, 14
Grayden Siepmann, D, 11
Zam Plante, F, 10
Riley Bodnarchuk, D; Brady Cleveland, D; Kyler Kovich, F, all tied with 7.
Instead, he’s found a larger role at home in Duluth, graduating beyond “penalty kill specialist” to a regular in what has emerged as a seven-man rotation on the Bulldogs blue line.
“He takes a lot of pride, he’s one of our best penalty killers,” Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin said. “He blocks more shots than anybody, and it’s not just in games. His progress and growth from last year, probably midseason, to where he is now, I’m real happy for him. He’s one that could have left, but chose to come back.
“He’s had a great attitude, he’s been a really good leader.”
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Bodnarchuk is averaging 10:28 of ice time per game this season — sixth-most among UMD defensemen — suiting up for 11 of 14 games thus far. He’s officially credited with seven blocked shots in games.
Blocked shots statistics aren’t kept in practice.
“I don’t care if it’s practice or a game, I’ll get down and block it,” Bodnarchuk said. “It’s not that much of a big deal to me.”
Bodnarchuk said he never thought about leaving the Bulldogs last spring when seven of his teammates did. He said he likes the team, the coaching staff and the program. He’s excited about his increased role this season, crediting the hard work he’s put in.
In the end, Bodnarchuk said he’ll do whatever is needed for the Bulldogs to win, whether it be in games or in practice.
“I’ll do anything to help the team win in any moment, whether its blocking a shot or just playing tough in the D zone,” Bodnarchuk said. “That’s things we’ve worked on over my four years here, just that will to win. That’s something I try to bring every night.”
Pierce said the additional depth at defense this season and the ability to roll all seven of the dressed defensemen during a game has helped bolster UMD’s offensive efforts from the blue line.
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It’s allowed a player like sophomore Ty Hanson — the co-leading scoring defenseman in the country with six goals and 10 assists — to play on both the power play and penalty kill, and pick up more ice time 5-on-5.
If Hanson, or anyone else, needs a rest, they can call in another defenseman they trust, Pierce said.
“If I know I’m not ready, I’m not at my best for the next shift, if I need an extra minute, I just let (assistant coach Cody Chupp) know and he sends another guy out. They have a rotation. It’s special,” Pierce said. “They’re pushing each other, they’re pushing us to be in that spot and I think that’s making us a great back end there.”
Like the Bulldogs’ opponent last week at Amsoil Arena — Omaha — Colorado College (6-5-1, 1-4-1) retooled its roster in the offseason, taking advantage of the NCAA lifting its ban on players from Canadian major junior leagues.
Coach Kris Mayotte — the 2023-24 NCHC Coach of the year, now in his fifth season in Colorado Springs — brought in 14 newcomers, including 12 freshmen. Seven of those freshmen came from the Western Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.
The Tigers lost six players via the transfer portal after last season, including three NHL draft picks. One of those — junior defenseman Brady Cleveland, a Detroit Red Wings pick — went to the Bulldogs.
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One familiar face remains on the CC roster in senior goaltender Kaidan Mberko. The Colorado native has made all 12 starts so far this season, posting a .913 save percentage and 2.40 goals against average.
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