Time For Impact

Gersich At the Forefront of North Dakota Offense Now

by Avash Kalra/Senior Writer

Four years ago, long before he played his first college hockey game, many assumed that a young, talented Shane Gersich would choose to play at his state's most celebrated program, Minnesota.

Certainly, that would have been a natural pick — an opportunity to add to his family's storied legacy. After all, Gersich's father and three uncles — including Neal Broten, a member of the 'Miracle on Ice' U.S. Men's Olympic team in 1980 — played for the Golden Gophers, too.

But Gersich defied tradition, announcing instead his intention to play at Minnesota's arch-rival, North Dakota.

Four years later, it's safe to say, the Fighting Hawks have clearly been all the better for it.

As a freshman last season, the Chaska, Minn., native, chipped in with nine goals. The ninth, undoubtedly, was the biggest of his career — when he collected a rebound and opened the scoring for North Dakota in April's national title game, which UND won, 5-1 over Quinnipiac.

Gersich, though, has never been a stranger to scoring. Playing for the Omaha Lancers (USHL) in 2014-15, he scored 27 goals, including 10 on the power play. Both marks led the team.

But as a national title winner in his freshman campaign for UND, Gersich wasn't called on to necessarily provide the offense. That came from the likes of Drake Caggiula, Brock Boeser, and Nick Schmaltz, a line that became legendary — and will stay so — in Grand Forks.

"Last year was something really special," says Gersich. "We had a lot of great players on our team, a lot of great leaders. A lot of guys to look up to. Like Drake Caggiula, Troy Stecher, Paul LaDue, and the list goes on and on."

This year, the role would be different for Gersich, part of a talented sophomore class that boasts six of North Dakota's 10 NHL draft picks. And long before the first games were even played, he knew it.

"Coming into this year, losing a lot of guys from last year, I wanted to be an impact player," said Gersich, a 2014 draft selection of the Washington Capitals. "I had a really good summer, and I came in with a good mindset."

Combining with freshman sensation Tyson Jost, who will play for Team Canada at the World Juniors this week, and Austin Poganski, who also scored in April's title game win, Gersich has delivered. He leads the reigning champions in goals (13), assists (11), power play goals (4), plus/minus (plus-12), shots (59), and shooting percentage (22).

Indeed, an impact player in every definition.

"Last year, I wasn't playing the role of scoring," said Gersich, who's now tied for fourth nationally in goals scored. "Everyone had their own role on our team last year, and that's what made us so successful. This year, getting bumped up, and probably looking more to score this year, that's one of our jobs — to provide offense. I think we've been doing that well for the most part."

Combining with Jost and Poganski has worked like a charm, too, for what has been, at times, an inconsistent first half from second-year head coach Brad Berry's squad (9-6-3).

"Off the ice, we're all really good buddies," said Gersich of his linemates. "We get along really well. On the ice, we work for each other. It doesn't matter who's going in on the forecheck. We're just trying to work for each other, playing fast, and working hard, as a unit, and the success will follow."

For Gersich, clearly, it has.

His decision to play for North Dakota has paid off, too, though in reality, despite the influences from his family's legacy while growing up, Gersich admits he always had an affection for the UND program.

"I was always asking for North Dakota stuff for Christmas," said Gersich. "When I was going through the process of getting recruited, I took my tour and loved it. The coaching staff is so professional, and they have an amazing track record of getting to the next level.

"If you want to put the time in, you have every resource here."

Now, with the holidays in the rear view mirror, North Dakota visits Union on New Year's Eve in a matchup of a pair of recent national champions.

It's also the eve of the season's second half. And if 2016 was any indication, 2017 just may bring more of the same from Gersich — who, for North Dakota, at least, didn't become the one that got away.