Semis memorable for Trupp, Kristo

There were seven goals in the Final Five semifinal between North Dakota and Colorado College on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center.

The first and seventh were especially memorable because of either who scored (Danny Kristo) or what the goal meant (it was the game-winner).

But after the Sioux beat Colorado College 4-3, maybe the most talked about play was a rush up-ice early in the third period by Evan Trupp. It ended with him shooting and missing the Tigers' net.

The senior left wing on North Dakota's top line carried the puck on the blade of his hockey stick about 100 feet, starting near his blue line. As if glued on, the puck stayed in place, several feet in the air, even when Trupp held his stick with one hand before shooting. Trupp looked like a lacrosse player on skates.

"You guys got to see a little bit of what Trupper can do," Sioux defenseman Chay Genoway said. "We get to see that almost on a daily basis. He is a pretty special player. You just shake your head almost. He can do that stuff almost regularly. He tries not to show off too often."

Said Matt Frattin, one of Trupp's linemates: "I was breaking to the net there. I didn't know what to do, if I should pull up or crash the net? The creative side of him is good to see."

"Next time he should score," Genoway joked.

"He is just a creative hockey player and he has great instincts," Hakstol said. "You have to ask him exactly what he was thinking. ... Then you see him go from a play like that to the play he made on the winning goal, and you understand what type of hockey sense Evan has. It is pretty special."

Trupp's blind, backhand pass across the crease set up Frattin's game-winning goal with 5 minutes, 40 seconds to play. It was Frattin's 34th goal of the season and Trupp's 20th assists. Little wonder Frattin is one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

Kristo, a sophomore from Eden Prairie, gave the Sioux an inspirational lift early by scoring at 2:44 of the first period. It was his first game back after he suffered frostbite on one hand and one foot Jan. 30.

"I told [Danny] before the game, just go out and give it your all," Frattin said. "And that's what he was doing all game, so it was good to see. That first goal he had for us, really got us going and got a monkey off his back for him."

"He played hard," Hakstol said of Kristo. "When you are out for six weeks, there is a lot of work to do to get back to game shape. [Friday] was a good first small step in that direction. Obviously, we don't have a lot of time. This game was a high level, high intensity game [Friday]. But he contributed to a win and that is all you can ask for out of anybody in the lineup."

No matter the result of the Final Five championship game, North Dakota will be one of four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament. That 16-team field will be announced Sunday morning.