Another Freshman Steps Up as Laderoute Provides Spark for Bulldogs Men’s Hockey Team

The freshman from Edmonton scored twice in Saturday's game against Michigan Tech.

DULUTH, Minn. – When there’s a new guy on the team, sometimes not a lot is expected of them. The UMD men’s hockey team have some guys who are contributing immediately, including forward Tanner Laderoute.

The Edmonton, Alberta, Canada native scored two goals last Saturday at Michigan Tech. And while he couldn’t come up with a memorable celebration, the moment was still one he will not forget.

“It was just so exciting. Honestly I didn’t even know what to do right after. I kind of saw the puck go in and I couldn’t even celebrate. I just got so excited and Noah [Cates] came flying at me so it was a really great moment for myself,” said Laderoute.

“It’s nice to see him get some goals. We knew bringing him in that he’s got some offensive punch. It’s nice for any player to get their first goal and for him to get two is even better,” head coach Scott Sandelin.

This weekend, the Bulldogs will welcome in Maine to close out the non–conference portion of their schedule. It’s a somewhat familiar opponent as UMD swept the Black Bears on the road last season.

“They are very aggressive. They don’t give you a lot of room on the rink. We’ll see how physical it will be. To me, that’s what all these early season games are. You want to win, but you’re trying to find a little bit more about your team. And when you do see a team that may be a little more physical, we’ll see how we respond to that,” said Sandelin.

The men will take the ice Friday night at Amsoil Arena with puck drop set for 7:07 p.m.