For his outstanding efforts in backstopping the University of North Dakota to a sweep of nationally-ranked Minnesota Duluth last weekend, goaltender Brad Eidsness is the Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Feb. 23.
A 6-0, 175-pound sophomore from Chestermere, Alberta and a draftee of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres, Eidsness was named the No. 2 star in both games while stopping 53 of 56 shots on goal (.946 saves percentage) and yielding just two even-strength goals.
In last Friday’s (Feb. 19) 5-2 North Dakota win, Eidsness made 33 saves, his highest home output of the season, and blanked the visiting Bulldogs on all seven of their power-play chances.
He then added another 22 saves on Saturday (Feb. 20) night in a 5-1 Sioux victory. In the series, he posted four shutout periods and held UMD to just one power-play goal in 11 opportunities.
Eidsness has moved into second place in the WCHA goaltending race (10th nationally) with a 2.22 goals-against average. Over his last three games Eidsness is 3-0-0 with a 1.34 goals-against average and a .951 saves percentage.
Eidsness has shown the preparedness to gear up for big games. That theory will again be put to the test when the #8 Sioux hit the road this weekend against #13 Colorado College.
