Jackson Kunz looking to build upon breakthrough weekend

Feb. 23—COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — With four minutes left in a tie game Saturday night, UND coach Brad Berry put his fourth line on the ice to take a defensive zone faceoff.

Center Louis Jamernik V won it clean. Defenseman Ethan Frisch chipped the puck to the neutral zone. Then, the action started.

St. Cloud State defenseman Brendan Bushy picked up the puck and tried to send it back, but UND sophomore forward Jackson Kunz knocked the pass out of midair, chipped it around the defenseman, chased it to the corner in the offensive zone and fired a backhand pass to the top of the crease.

Kunz's pass hit the tape of Dylan James' stick, but hopped over it. Otherwise, that might have won the National Collegiate Hockey Conference game.

Regardless, that play was one of several by Kunz last weekend that showed why, despite being in and out of the lineup this season, the UND coaching staff believes the Grand Forks native has a big future.

"I think you're seeing him play faster now," UND coach Brad Berry said. "He's playing a faster brand of hockey. His feet are moving. He's a bigger body. It's one of those things where you've got to keep your feet moving, whether it's in the defensive zone, breaking out a puck or on the forecheck. He's getting to pucks now. He's getting around it. He's playing with a lot higher intensity and you're seeing that in his game.

"I thought that Jamernik, Kunz, James line was very good for us this weekend."

It hasn't been an easy season for Kunz, who starred at Grand Forks Red River before playing at Shattuck-St. Mary's and for the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League.

He's only played in five of UND's 12 games since Christmas as several of UND's third- and fourth-line players have taken turns thriving — Nick Portz, Griffin Ness, Ben Strinden and Carson Albrecht. Their successes have often pushed Kunz out of the lineup.

"It's up and down," Kunz said. "It's obviously not fun at times, but you have to keep your head down and keep working. I've got good teammates, a good coaching staff, to kind of keep me in.

"You use all the resources we have here for the mental side of it and the physical side of it. Eventually, you get your opportunity and you can take advantage."

Against No. 6 St. Cloud State, the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Kunz did take advantage.

Although he only played 5:09 in the series opener due to heavy special teams, he made an impact, driving a puck to the top of the crease from behind the net for a scoring chance.

On Saturday, he played 7:59, scored a goal and nearly set up another in the third period.

The coaching staff sent his line on the ice for two defensive zone draws in the final 10 minutes of the game — a sign of growing trust.

"I thought I kept my feet moving," Kunz said. "Obviously, I'm not the best skater. But the line I was on, we played north, moving fast and luckily, we converted on some chances and made some plays out there. It was really good, especially for a guy like myself who has been battling a little bit. It was good to finally get in a rhythm here. Hopefully, we can keep things going."

Berry said Kunz, a fourth-round draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks, has worked at his play in the defensive zone and neutral zone to get more ice time.

"It's not like he's egregiously weak at it," Berry said. "It's one of those things when you're playing in your end of the rink, positionally, you have to be in a good spot. From there, once you see a 50-50 puck, you have to get to it right away and advance the puck. I think he's getting better at it."

Kunz's offensive abilities have never been in doubt — especially when he's below the dots.

He has a Zach Parise-like knack for scoring goals from the top of the goalie crease. All four of his goals this season have come from there.

"Kind of comes naturally for me, honestly," Kunz said of his abilities around the net. "It's how I've been my whole life. . . just battling down there, using my size and strength."

That's also where he thrived in junior hockey with Green Bay.

Kunz scored 23 goals for Green Bay in 2020-21 — most coming from the top of the crease. He played the net front/goal line spot on the power play for the Gamblers.

His UND classmate, Jake Schmaltz, had a front-row seat to those 23 goals. They were teammates that season.

"He's great around the net," Schmaltz said. "With his big body, he's hard to move. I think his skill and just his puck protection can go unnoticed. When he gets in those situations where he's in tight around the net, he can make plays and you saw that on Saturday."

Why is he so good around the net?

"I think he just has strong hands," Schmaltz said. "When the puck is laying there, he's going to get a whack on it. He's going to get it upstairs. I think he's just hungry for those pucks. He's hard to move and he's strong around the net so he's going to win those battles a lot of the time."

Berry added: "I think it's his quick, strong hands. When you go into those Grade-A areas in front of the net, those are the tough areas to play. A lot of times, you get held, grabbed. . . whatever. He has a way of being strong, but also quick. That's a big thing with good goaltenders. If you have quick hands, it's all about getting the puck on the net quicker than the goalie can make a reactionary save."

The St. Cloud State series may have been the breakout weekend Kunz was waiting for.

"He's invigorated in his play and that's a huge part of it," Berry said. "When you get to the net front, it's tough to control a big body like that. He's got a strong body. He's heavy in front of the net. He has really strong, quick hands and he scores a lot of goals from that area."

When: 8:30 p.m. Central on Friday, 7 p.m. Central on Saturday.

Where: Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo.

TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD) on Friday only.

Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM).

Stream: NCHChockey.com.