North Dakota
NCHC roundup: North Dakota gets back on track with sweep of Alaska
GRAND FORKS — The University of North Dakota hockey team got what it was looking for in a nonconference sweep of Alaska over the weekend. The fourth-ranked Fighting Hawks beat the Nanooks 6-4 on Friday and 6-2 on Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Riese Gaber, a senior wing from Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, had six points in the series to lead the way. UND had lost three straight overtime games going into the series.
“Just domination from our leader,”
North Dakota graduate student left wing Hunter Johannes said after Saturday’s win.
“What more can you say about a guy? He just has that mentality when we get back to the bench that it never stops. We want the next one.”
Alaska (10-9-1) had its lone lead of the weekend when freshman defenseman Caleb MacDonald scored at 15:58 of the first period Friday for a 1-0 lead. The rest of the weekend, North Dakota outscored Alaska 12-5.
The Fighting Hawks (14-5-1) also picked up their first two wins of the season without senior Ludvig Persson in goal. Persson missed the series due to illness and Hobie Hedquist picked up his first two college wins. Hedquist, a freshman from Heron Lake, Minnesota, stopped 40 of 46 shots in the series.
“I was super happy for him,” Gaber said of Hedquist. “Growing up, he was a big UND fan. I can’t imagine how he felt getting these two wins. Obviously, we wanted to play really well for him. We’re super happy for him and obviously, it was huge for his confidence.”
In the opener Friday, North Dakota scored five goals in the second period to take control.
In the series, fifth-year senior defenseman Garrett Pyke had three assists against his former team. Pyke played the last four seasons for the Nanooks.
In the series, Gaber had three goals and three assists, sophomore center Owen McLaughlin had three goals and two assists and junior center Cameron Berg had two goals for UND.
Here’s a look at the other games involving NCHC teams over the weekend:
Photo courtesy of Omaha Athletics.
Arizona State beats UNO for Classic title
Future NCHC member Arizona State (16-3-5) got a goal from freshman center Kyle Smolen at 1:43 of overtime and sophomore TJ Semptimphelter stopped 26 shots to beat Nebraska Omaha 2-1 in the championship game of the Desert Hockey Classic in Tempe, Arizona. For the Mavericks (10-6-2), freshman right wing Tanner Ludtke had the goal and sophomore Simon Latkoczy stopped 33 of 35 shots.
In the opener of the tournament, UNO got a goal from sophomore defenseman Griffin Ludtke with 18 seconds left in overtime to pick up a 4-3 win over UMass-Lowell (7-12-2). Senior center Jimmy Glynn had a goal and an assist and junior right wing Zach Urdahl and junior defenseman Victor Mancini added goals for the Mavericks. Latkoczy stopped 22 of 25 shots to pick up the win.
The No. 12/13-ranked Sun Devils improved to 4-2-2 against NCHC opponents this season.
Pioneers get Matt Davis back
Denver, ranked No. 5/6 in the two national polls, got Matt Davis back in goal and swept visiting Niagara with a 5-2 win Friday and a 6-1 win Saturday at Magness Arena.
Contributed / University of Denver Athletics
Davis, a junior from Calgary, had not played in a game since Oct. 27 due to injury. He stopped 49 of 52 shots in the series to pick up his first wins since a 4-3 win on Oct. 21 at Boston College.
Denver (14-5-1) was playing without freshman defenseman Zeev Buium and head coach David Carle, who both helped Team USA win the gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championships in Sweden.
The Pioneers got points from 14 players in the series. On Friday, junior right wing Jack Devine scored two goals to lead Denver to the win. Devine, a Florida Panthers draft pick, leads the nation with 17 goals.
On Saturday, junior left wing Tristan Broz had two goals and two assists to lead the Pioneers to the win. Broz, a Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick, has nine goals and 19 points this season. Junior center Carter King added two goals and sophomore left wing Rieger Lorenz and sophomore center Aidan Thompson each added a goal and two assists in the series.
Jason Wachter / The Rink Live
Broncos sweep Lindenwood again
Western Michigan, ranked No. 11/12 in the national polls, swept Lindenwood (3-13-2) for the second time, though it was not easy on Friday.
In the opener, the Broncos (13-4-1) had to get third period goals from right wing Dylan Wendt and graduate student defenseman Zak Galambos to pick up a 3-2 win in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Galambos scored the game-winner with 2:17 left in regulation. Junior Trent Burnham stopped 43 of the 46 shots he faced for the Lions.
Contributed / Western Michigan University
In Game 2, WMU’s top line of left wing Alex Bump, senior center Luke Grainger and Wendt led the way to a 6-1 win. Bump, a freshman from Prior Lake, had two goals and an assist, Grainger had three assists and Wendt had two goals. Wendt, an undrafted junior from Grand Haven, Michigan, moved into second in the nation in goals with 16.
Senior goalie Cameron Rowe
stopped 41 of the 44 shots he faced in the series to pick up two wins.
Kylie Macziewski / St. Thomas Athletics
St. Thomas knocks off UMD
St. Thomas (10-10-1) picked up its second win over an NCHC opponent this season with a 3-1 victory over Minnesota Duluth on Saturday at St. Thomas Ice Arena. The Tommies got goals from junior center Liam Malmquist, sophomore right wing Ryan O’Neill and graduate student center Luke Manning in the victory.
Contributed / University of Minnesota Duluth
Center Braden Fischer, a freshman from Winnipeg, picked up his first college goal for the Bulldogs (6-10-4).
The win overshadowed the return of defenseman Will Francis. Francis, a 23-year-old junior from Shoreview, played in his first game of the season. He
took a leave from the UMD hockey team in early August after a post-recovery blood test showed his leukemia had returned.
He had previously been declared cancer-free on July 9, 2020.
Brad Rempel / Gopher Sports
CC picks up another big road win
Colorado College (10-6-1) picked up its third-straight road win over a top-10 ranked opponent when
it beat No. 9/10 Minnesota 6-4 on Sunday at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
The Tigers, ranked 20th in both polls, got two goals from freshman right wing Bret Link, two assists from
senior center Logan Will
and a goal and an assist from sophomore center Noah Laba. Before the holiday break, Colorado College had swept North Dakota in a series in Grand Forks.
After a scoreless first period, the Tigers led 3-1 going into the third period. The Gophers (9-6-4) outshot the Tigers 18-10 in the third period, but CC held on for the win. Minnesota got two goals from sophomore right wing Jimmy Snuggerud, who was back in the lineup after helping Team USA win gold at the IIHF World Junior Championships. The Gophers dropped to 4-4-1 at home, while the Tigers improved to 6-1 on the road.
DICKINSON — Property tax bills are arriving, and as inflation, taxes and property values continue to rise, many North Dakota homeowners are feeling the strain of higher household expenses.
Two state programs — the primary residence credit and the homestead property tax credit — aim to ease that burden by reducing, and in some cases eliminating, property taxes for eligible homeowners.
The primary residence credit provides a flat credit of up to $1,600 for qualifying homeowners, regardless of age or income. The homestead credit, meanwhile, reduces the taxable value of a home for seniors and individuals with disabilities, significantly lowering or eliminating their tax bill.
Eligible households may apply for both credits, further reducing the amount owed.
Primary residence credit: Who qualifies and how much is available
The primary residence credit was originally capped at $500 in 2023. In 2025, lawmakers increased the credit to $1,600 after Gov. Kelly Armstrong signed House Bill 1176 into law on May 3, 2025.
To qualify, a homeowner must own and occupy a home in North Dakota as their primary residence. Eligible properties include houses,
mobile homes
, townhomes, duplexes and condominiums. Homes held in trust also qualify. There are no age or income limits, and only one credit is allowed per household.
The credit may be applied up to the amount of property tax owed.
“We’re asking the public to take just a few minutes — please come to us, tell us who you are,” State Tax Commissioner Brian Kroshus said during a press briefing at the Capitol on Dec. 19. “That is the difference between applying the credit across the board and diluting it for everyone or having a larger credit amount of $1,600.”
Armstrong also highlighted the impact of the expanded credit in an
opinion column
.
“Since we more than tripled the credit to $1,600, the number of households paying no property taxes in 2025 has increased to 50,000,” he wrote.
Homestead property tax credit: Using health expenses to qualify
Unlike the primary residence credit, the homestead credit reduces the taxable value of a qualifying home.
To be eligible, applicants must be 65 or older or have a permanent or total disability, own and occupy the home as their primary residence, and have a household income of $70,000 or less. There is no age requirement for individuals with disabilities. Only one spouse may apply if a married couple lives together.
Households earning $40,000 or less may qualify for a 100% reduction in taxable value, up to $9,000. Those earning between $40,001 and $70,000 may qualify for a 50% reduction, up to $4,500.
Out-of-pocket medical expenses can be deducted when calculating household income. Eligible expenses include unreimbursed medical costs paid during the prior year for the homeowner, spouse or dependents. Subtracting those expenses may move applicants into a lower income tier or help them qualify.
Stark County Auditor and Treasurer
Karen Richard
said the credit has eliminated tax bills for many approved applicants.
“Out of the 725 approved homestead credit applications, there were 355 applicants who had a zero-dollar tax bill just from receiving the homestead credit,” Richard said.
She added that participation remains low.
“There are most likely many more seniors who qualify but do not realize the homestead credit exists,” Richard said. “Any way possible to get the word out could really help individuals living on fixed incomes.”
Applying for both credits
Some households qualify for both programs. The homestead credit is applied first, followed by the primary residence credit.
“By applying for and receiving both credits, an additional 149 applicants received a zero-dollar tax bill,” Richard said. “Out of 725 approved homestead applicants, 504 owed nothing for 2025 property taxes.”
It’s also important to note that either credit applies to special assessments, which may still result in a balance owed.
Applications for both credits must be submitted to a local assessor or county director of tax equalization between Jan. 1 and April 1 of the year the credit is requested. For 2026 taxes, the deadline is April 1, 2026.
Sarah Ruffin, who processes homestead and veterans credit applications for Stark County, encouraged seniors to seek assistance if needed.
“If you are over 65, own your home and earn under $70,000 per year, come talk to me about the homestead credit,” Ruffin said.
Homestead credit applications are available at
tax.nd.gov/homestead
.Primary residence credit applications must be completed online at
tax.nd.gov/prc
.
“The pen is mightier than the sword.”
As a professional writer with more than 10 years of experience, Kelly lives by these words. With a bachelor’s degree in communication, majoring in broadcasting and journalism, and a fiery passion for writing that began in childhood, she uses the power of words to make an impact in the community — informing, educating, and entertaining a wide range of audiences.
As a journalist, what Kelly loves most about her job is the ability to bring unique stories to the public and give people a voice that can be heard around the world. Whether through print or digital platforms, her goal is to share stories people enjoy reading while spreading valuable information that supports the welfare of southwest North Dakota and its people.
Ethics is a system of moral principles guiding behavior, defining what’s right, wrong, fair, and good for individuals and society, essentially asking, “What should we do?”
A commission is a group of people officially charged with a particular function.
The citizens of North Dakota voted for and passed an Ethics Commission measure. The Ethics Commission has infuriated the North Dakota Republican legislators and North Dakota government in general. (NOTE: Every elected state government official in North Dakota is Republican.) They have denied that any monitoring of ethics is needed.
North Dakota Republicans have done everything possible to make sure the Ethics Commission has virtually no teeth, no say, and remains invisible under constant attack by the Attorney General’s Office.
Why do Go. Armstrong, Attorney General Wrigley and the Republican members of the North Dakota Legislature fear ethics?
Henry Lebak lives in Bismarck.
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