Month: October 2022

North Dakota’s first destination game took place ten years ago, as UND hosted Clarkson at Bell MTS Place, home of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. The five showcase events that have built up to this Saturday night have almost all gone the way of the Green and White:

2012: Bell MTS Place (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
North Dakota 3, Clarkson 1

2013: T.D. Ameritrade Park (Omaha, Nebraska)
North Dakota 5, Omaha 2

2016: Madison Square Garden (New York City)
North Dakota 4, Boston College 3

2018: Orleans Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
North Dakota 3, Minnesota 1

2021: Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, Tennessee)
Penn State 6, North Dakota 4

This writer was able to witness the last three performances firsthand, and while it is difficult to measure “which team wants it more”, it is clear that the UND hockey program does not take these opportunities for granted.

On Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada), #6/#7 North Dakota (3-2-1) will face off against unranked Arizona State (4-4-0); the two teams have never met on the ice. The Sun Devils have competed at the Division I level in men’s ice hockey as an independent since the 2015-2016 season and have had mixed results across those seven campaigns:

2015-2018 (three seasons): 21-62-8 (.275)

2018-2020 (two seasons): 43-24-4 (.634) and two NCAA tournament bids

2020-2022 (three seasons): 46-44-7 (.510)

Greg Powers has been the only head coach in Arizona State Division I men’s hockey history. Powers, a former goaltender from the Sun Devils’ club level (WCHL/ACHA) days, graduated from ASU in 1999 and is a member of the Arizona State Athletic Hall of Fame.

Because last year’s North Dakota – Penn State contest was pushed back one year due to COVID-19, UND fans have the opportunity to travel to a destination game for the second consecutive season this weekend. The Green and White return to Las Vegas but will see an upgrade in facilities (and capacity) by hosting at T-Mobile Arena, home of the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. At Orleans Arena, the announced attendance was a sold-out 7412. T-Mobile has a capacity of 17,500 for ice hockey. North Dakota and Arizona State have never met on the ice.

Since it is difficult to compare teams that have never faced off, we need to look deeply into the won-loss records for both sides this season:

Arizona State (4-4-0):

October 1st: 2-3 (OT) road loss at #19 Minnesota Duluth
October 2nd: 1-4 road loss at #19 Minnesota Duluth
October 7th: 3-0 road win at Bemidji State
October 8th: 4-5 (OT) road loss at Bemidji State
October 14th: 2-0 home win over Colgate
October 15th: 0-4 home loss to Colgate
October 21st: 5-3 home win over Colorado College
October 22nd: 6-1 home win over Colorado College

North Dakota (3-2-1):

October 7th: 6-0 home win over Holy Cross
October 8th: 4-1 home win over Holy Cross
October 14th: 5-5 home tie vs. #7 Quinnipiac
October 15th: 2-6 home loss to #7 Quinnipiac
October 21st: 2-3 (OT) road loss at #1 Minnesota
October 22nd: 5-4 (OT) road win over #1 Minnesota

After this year’s contest, it will be at least several seasons before North Dakota plans another destination game. Cities that have been mentioned in the past are Anaheim, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, or Tampa.

Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reports that fans traveled to the 2018 Vegas game from 44 states; as of Friday afternoon, he had heard of travelers from 43 different states this time around (and yes, Alaska and Hawaii are represented!). The only states without a pin on the map are Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia.

After tonight’s “neutral site’” Hall Of Fame Game matchup against Arizona State, three of UND’s four non-conference games during the 2022-2023 campaign will be played at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks:

November 25th: at Bemidji State
November 26th: vs. Bemidji State
January 6th: vs. Lindenwood
January 7th: vs. Lindenwood

UND is tops in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 15.3% (24 goals on 157 shots). By comparison, Arizona State is 23rd in the country at 10.6% (23 goals on 218 shots). This means that although ASU generates more shots per game (27.3 to UND’s 26.2), North Dakota has outscored the Sun Devils to this point in the season despite playing in two fewer games. The Fighting Hawks also lead ASU in both Corsi and Fenwick, two key puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s tenth-best team on draws (55.2%), while Minnesota clocks in at just 45.8% (46th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 75 of 126 (59.5%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has won 59 of 112 (52.7%), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has been nearly even (40 of 79, 50.6%). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chippied in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For the Sun Devils, senior Robert Mastrosimone has had the most success on faceoffs, winning 58 of 120 (48.3%). After that, it’s been more of a challenge, with sophomore Jack Jensen (41 of 88, 46.6%) and senior Ty Jackson (25 of 64, 39.1%) both struggling.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined +9, with eleven power play goals scored (11 for 31, 35.5%, 2nd in the country) and only two power play goals allowed (18 of 20, 90.0%, 7th). Arizona State has posted a-1, with six power play goals scored (6 of 25, 24.0%, 22nd) and seven allowed (25 of 32, 78.1%, 35th). The Fighting Hawks scored four power play goals last weekend on seven man-advantage opportunities at #1 Minnesota.

North Dakota is 5th in the country in scoring offense (4.00 goals scored/game) but just 34th in the country in scoring defense (3.17 goals allowed/game) after allowing eighteen goals over the past two weekends against Quinnipiac and Minnesota. Arizona State is 27th in the country in scoring offense (2.88 goals scored/game) but a more respectable 17th in scoring defense (2.50 goals allowed/game).

North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomore Brent Johnson and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Arizona State Team Profile

Head Coach: Greg Powers (8th season at ASU, 92-123-16, .433)
National Ranking: NR/NR
This Season: 4-4-0 overall
Last Season:

Team Offense: 2.88 goals scored/game – 27th of 56 teams
Team Defense: 2.50 goals allowed/game – 17th of 56 teams
Power Play: 24.0% (6 of 25) – 22nd of 56 teams
Penalty Kill: 78.1% (25 of 32) – 35th of 56 teams

Key Players: Senior F Lukas Sillinger (1-5-6), Sophomore F Josh Doan (2-4-6), Senior F Robert Mastrosimone (4-2-6), Graduate Student F Demetrios Koumontzis (3-1-4), Sophomore F Jack Jensen (1-3-4), Senior F Ty Jackson (1-3-4), Junior F Ryan O’Reilly (2-2-4), Junior D Tim Lovell (1-4-5), Sophomore D Ethan Szmagaj (0-3-3), Sophomore G TJ Semptimphelter (4-4-0, 2.48 GAA, .933 SV%, 2 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 165-79-26, .659)
National Rankings: #6/#7

This Season: 3-2-1 overall, 0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-23 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 4.00 goals scored/game – 5th of 56 teams
Team Defense: 3.17 goals allowed/game – 34th of 56 teams

Power Play: 35.5% (11 of 31) – 2nd of 56 teams
Penalty Kill: 90.0% (18 of 20) – 7th of 56 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (5-2-7), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (2-2-4), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-5-5), Senior F Gavin Hain (4-1-5), Graduate Student Mark Senden (3-2-5), Freshman F Jackson Blake (4-4-8), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (1-9-10), Senior D Ethan Frisch (1-3-4), Sophomore D Brent Johnson (0-3-3), Junior D Cooper Moore (1-3-4), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (2-1-0, 2.97 GAA, .912 SV%, 1 SO)

Game News and Notes

Only two players on UND’s roster played in the 2018 Vegas game: Gavin Hain and Mark Senden. The Fighting Hawks went 2 of 6 on the power play last weekend. North Dakota has outscored opponents 9-4 in the first period this season.

Media Coverage

Tonight’s game can be seen live on Midco Sports or online at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games, home and away, can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media
Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

The Prediction

Any time two teams meet for the first time, there is a feeling-out process. Expect some tentative play in the first ten minutes or so, with ebbs and flows of momentum throughout the game. As always, goaltending and specialty teams will both play a huge factor in this one, with the “neutral” crowd at T-Mobile Arena providing an edge for the Green and White. North Dakota has a talent advantage and is coming off of a strong weekend at #1 Minnesota. Under the neon lights of Las Vegas, I see the Fighting Hawks rising to the occasion. UND 4, ASU 2.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

Quite simply, North Dakota vs. Minnesota is a hockey rivalry unlike any other.

#7 North Dakota (2-1-1) is six years removed from its eighth national championship but has made the national tournament in each of the past three seasons and has gone a remarkable 72-25-6 (.728) over that stretch.

#1 Minnesota (3-1-0) has only advanced to the NCAAs twice in the last five seasons (and only seven of the past fourteen) and is stuck on five national titles, the most recent in 2002 and 2003.

More to the point…

The Golden Gophers played from 1947-1973 without a title (26 seasons).

Head coach Herb Brooks led Minnesota to three NCAA championships in a six year stretch (1974, 1976, and 1979).

The Golden Gophers then played from 1979-2001 without a title (22 seasons).

Head coach Don Lucia won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003.

This year will mark the twentieth anniversary of Minnesota’s most recent NCAA crown.

North Dakota has been relevant in every decade, with head coaches Bob May, Barry Thorndycraft, John “Gino” Gasparini, Dean Blais, and Brad Berry all lifting college hockey’s most coveted trophy.

Here is a closer look at the thirteen combined national titles won by these two storied programs.

Despite only nine tournament victories since Minnesota’s last title (UND has 22 in that same span), Gophers’ head coach Don Lucia was inexplicably given a two-year extension that was supposed to keep him behind the bench through the 2018-19 campaign. After the Gophers sputtered to a 19-17-2 record five seasons ago. Lucia was replaced by former St. Cloud State bench boss Bob Motzko.

Motzko, who guided St. Cloud State to the national tournament eight times in his thirteen seasons behind the SCSU bench, only managed an overall NCAA tourney record of 5-8 and one Frozen Four appearance with the Huskies.

After this season, there is one series remaining in the current contract between the teams, to be played at Ralph Engelstad Arena (Grand Forks, North Dakota) during the 2023-24 campaign.

The two teams will not play during the 2024-25 regular season, but there is hope that the rivalry will continue in future seasons.

Minnesota can no longer lay claim to having a roster made up exclusively of the State of Hockey’s “Pride On Ice”, with players hailing from Phoenix (Arizona), Irvine (California), Fenton (Michigan), Northville (Michigan), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), and Kindersley (Saskatchewan). Future recruits in the pipeline hail from Bethel Park (Pennsylvania), Newburyport (Massachusetts), and Morristown (New Jersey).

So far this season, North Dakota has swept Holy Cross and battled #3 Quinnipiac to a tie and a loss. Minnesota swept Lindenwood and split a home-and-home series with #2 Minnesota State.

After this weekend’s road series at Minnesota, UND’s other non-conference opponents during the 2022-2023 campaign will be Arizona State (Hall Of Fame Game in Las Vegas, “neutral”), Bemidji State (home and home), and Lindenwood (home).

It is abundantly clear that North Dakota will have the puck a lot this season, and the numbers bear that out. Through four games, the Fighting Hawks are fourth in the nation in shots on goal allowed/game (22.8) and are among the country’s leaders in two key puck possession statistics:

Corsi (% of shots taken vs. opponent): 56.1%
Fenwick (% of unblocked shots taken vs. opponent): 55.1%

By comparison, Minnesota is just a shade above the Fighting Hawks in Corsi (57.1%) and Fenwick (55.7%) and is averaging 32.8 shots on goal per game (North Dakota is averaging 29.8/game).

Despite the Golden Gophers’ shot advantage through four games, UND has scored 17 goals to Minnesota’s 16. The difference? More North Dakota shots are going in the net. The Fighting Hawks are scoring on 14.3% of their chances (more than one goal on every seven shots), good for 2nd in the nation. Minnesota has scored on 12.2% of its shots on goal (13th).

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s third-best team on draws (59.0%), while Minnesota clocks in at just 51.3% (28th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 60 of 89 (67.4%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has won 38 of 70 (54.3%), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has been dead even (28 of 56). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chippied in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For the Gophers, senior Jaxon Nelson has had the most success on faceoffs, winning 37 of 65 (56.9%). After that, however, it’s been a challenge, with sophomore Aaron Huglen (29 of 59, 49.2%) and freshmen Logan Cooley (19 of 49, 38.8%) and Garrett Pinoniemi (21 of 41, 51.2%) struggling to keep their heads above water.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined +6, with seven power play goals scored (7 for 24, 29.2%, 14th in the country) and only one power play goal allowed (13 of 14, 92.9%, 5th). Minnesota has posted a +3, with five power play goals scored (5 of 19, 26.3%, 21st) and two allowed (11 of 13, 84.6%, 19th).

In this rivalry, scoring from the back end has often proved to be the difference. This weekend, the two groups of defensemen have each scored a total of 16 points through four games played. UND is led by graduate student Chris Jandric (1-6-7), sophomore Brent Johnson (0-3-3), and junior Cooper Moore (1-2-3), with senior Ethan Frisch (1-1-2) and graduate student Ty Farmer (0-1-1) also chipping in. Minnesota counters with seniors Jackson LaCombe (0-4-4) and Ryan Johnson (0-4-4), juniors Brock Fabe (1-2-3) and Mike Koster (1-1-2), and freshmen Ryan Chesley (0-2-2) and Luke Middelstadt 0-1-1).

Up front, the Fighting Hawks are led by junior Riese Gaber (3-1-4), senior Gavin Hain (4-0-4), freshman Jackson Blake (3-3-6), junior Louis Jamernik V (0-4-4), and graduate student Mark Senden (1-2-3). The Golden Gophers’ forward leaders include sophomore Rhett Pitlick (0-5-5), freshman Logan Cooley (2-3-5), freshman Jimmy Snuggerud (4-0-4), senior Jaxon Nelson (1-2-3), sophomore Matthew Knies (2-1-3), and freshman Connor Kurth (2-0-2).

North Dakota is 5th in the country in scoring offense (4.25 goals scored/game) but just 28th in the country in scoring defense (3.00 goals allowed/game) after allowing eleven goals last weekend against Quinnipiac. Minnesota is 7th in the country in scoring offense (4.00 goals scored/game) and a more respectable 9th in scoring defense (2.00 goals allowed/game).

I expect Brad Berry to reunite the Mark Senden – Louis Jamernik V – Gavin Hain line for this road series and attempt to play them against the Jaxon Nelson line or the Logan Cooley line as much as possible. The question will be whether that allows Minnesota’s all-freshman line of Connor Kurth, Garrett Pinoniemi, and Brody Lamb more time and space to light the lamp.

UND will also need to watch out for Matthew Knies, Jimmy Snuggerud, Bryce Brodzinski, and Mason Nevers if they hope to find success this weekend.

It will be interesting to see how long it takes the UND coaching staff to try Jackson Blake and Riese Gaber on a line together, perhaps with #1 center Jake Schmaltz. If this is not the case this weekend, we could see Blake skating with Owen McLaughlin and Dylan James while Gaber skates with Schmaltz and Matteo Costantini. That leaves Judd Caulfield on a line with some combination of Ben Strinden, Griffin Ness, or Carson Albrecht.

North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomore Brent Johnson and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Minnesota Team Profile

Head Coach: Bob Motzko (5th season at Minnesota, 87-51-11, .590)
National Rankings: #1/#1

This Season: 3-1-0 overall, 0-0-0-0 Big Ten
Last Season: 26-13-0 (NCAA Frozen Four participant), 17-4-1-2 Big Ten (1st of 7 teams)

2022-23 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 4.00 goals scored/game – 7th of 56 teams
Team Defense: 2.00 goals allowed/game – 9th of 56 teams

Power Play: 26.3% (5 of 19) – 21st of 56 teams
Penalty Kill: 84.6% (11 of 13) – 19th of 56 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Rhett Pitlick (0-5-5), Freshman F Logan Cooley (2-3-5), Freshman F Jimmy Snuggerud (4-0-4), Senior F Jaxon Nelson (1-2-3), Sophomore F Matthew Knies (2-1-3), Senior D Jackson LaCombe (0-4-4), Senior D Ryan Johnson (0-4-4), Junior D Brock Faber (1-2-3), Senior G Justen Close (2-1-0, 1.34 GAA, .941 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 164-78-26, .660)
National Rankings: #7/#7

This Season: 2-1-1 overall, 0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-23 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 4.25 goals scored/game – 5th of 56 teams
Team Defense: 3.00 goals allowed/game – 28th of 56 teams

Power Play: 29.2% (7 of 24) – 14th of 56 teams
Penalty Kill: 92.9% (13 of 14) – 5th of 56 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (3-1-4), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (1-1-2), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-4-4), Senior F Gavin Hain (4-0-4), Graduate Student Mark Senden (1-2-3), Freshman F Jackson Blake (3-3-6), Senior D Ethan Frisch (1-1-2), Sophomore D Brent Johnson (0-3-3), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (1-6-7), Junior D Cooper Moore (1-2-3), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (1-0-0, 2.26 GAA, .912 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last meeting: November 27, 2021 (Grand Forks, ND). One night after falling 5-1 to the visiting Gophers, the homestanding Hawks scored a goal in each period to build a 3-0 lead. Minnesota goals at 7:35 (power play) and 16:30 (extra attacker) of the final frame left the outcome in doubt, but the Maroon and Gold could not find the equalizer in the closing minutes and had to settle for a road split. UND outshot Minnesota 26-13 for the contest and were led offensively by Mark Senden, who assisted on the first North Dakota goal and scored twice to lead the Green and White to victory.

Last meeting in Minneapolis: November 29, 2019. UND built a 3-1 lead through two periods of play and made that lead hold up in a 3-2 victory which secured a rare road sweep of the Gophers for the Fighting Hawks. Eight different players found their way on the scoresheet for the Green and White. North Dakota won Friday’s opener by an eye-popping final score of 9-3.

What Happens In Vegas: October 27, 2018 (Las Vegas, NV). The “Duel in the Desert” left #5 Minnesota feeling high and dry as #17 North Dakota played the Gophers even through a scoreless opening period before outshooting their guests 25-12 over the final forty minutes of play. UND’s Colton Poolman scored two goals for the Fighting Hawks, while fellow blueliner Hayden Shaw assisted on all three goals in a 3-1 North Dakota victory. Attendance was recorded as 412 Gopher fans and 7000 fans of the Green and White.

Most important meeting: March 24, 1979 (Detroit, MI). North Dakota and Minnesota met to decide the national championship, and the Gophers prevailed, 4-3. Neal Broten scored the game-winning goal for the U of M, and Steve Janaszak was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

All-time: Minnesota leads the all-time series by a seven-game margin, 141-134-15 (.512), including a 75-53-8 (.581) advantage in games played in Minneapolis. The teams first met in 1948.

Last ten: North Dakota has gone 5-4-1 in the last ten meetings between the schools, outscoring Minnesota 30-24 in those games.

Game News and Notes

North Dakota first-year forward Jackson Blake has six points in his first four collegiate games, the first UND freshman to record six points in his first four games since T.J. Oshie (2005-06). The Golden Gophers made the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four, but were trounced by Minnesota State by a final score of 5-1 in the national semifinal. In 2019, UND’s last visit to Minneapolis ended in a sweep for the Fighting Hawks, the first since January 2007. In an effort to alleviate parking concerns, Minnesota fans are asked to park in St. Paul and walk to 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Broadcast Information

Friday’s contest will be broadcast live on Bally Sports North Extra, while Saturday’s rematch will be shown live on Bally Sports North. Both games are also available via webcast at B1G+. All UND men’s hockey games (home and away) can be heard on 96.1 FM and on stations across the UND Sports Network (as well as through the iHeart Radio app).

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

The Prediction

Let’s get this out of the way first: Minnesota is ranked higher than North Dakota and is playing at home, but I think both of these games will be close. UND is deep enough up front that having last line change may not matter for Bob Motzko. However, Minnesota still has two advantages: experience on the wider sheet of ice and a raucous home crowd. Well, make that one advantage. The last time these two teams tangled in Minneapolis, the crowd was heavily tilted toward the Green and White. It should be 60-40 either way this weekend, with many fans traveling down I-94 and a large North Dakota alumni base in the Twin Cities. I’m looking at a few key factors: faceoffs, goaltending, and the ability to score in bunches. Either one of these teams could ride the wave of momentum to victory, and in a rivalry matchup, whichever team keeps unnecessary penalties to a minimum has the advantage.
I know it feels like a cop-out to call a split, but it’s too early in the season for one team to have that much of an advantage. UND 4-3, Minnesota 4-2.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

In 23 years at the Division I level, Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold has only had ONE losing season (16-18-4 in 2017-2018). The Bobcats have made the last three national tournaments and seven of the past nine, appearing in the championship game in 2013 (losing 4-0 to Yale) and again against UND in 2016. That 5-1 title game loss against North Dakota was just the fourth loss of the season for QU (32-4-7).

Last year, Quinnipiac went 32-7-3 and defeated St. Cloud State 5-4 in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The Bobcats would fall one game short of the Frozen Four, dropping a 7-4 decision to the Michigan Wolverines.

In the 2021 NCAA West Regional in Loveland, Colorado, QU held a 3-1 lead over Minnesota State with just over five minutes remaining in regulation before the Mavericks brought the game to within one. An extra-attacker goal with 62 seconds remaining sent the game to an extra frame, and Ryan Sandelin won the game for the Mavs just over halfway through the first overtime session.

UND and QU met one other time in the national tournament (at the 2015 West Regional in Fargo, ND). North Dakota downed the Bobcats 4-1 in that tilt, the only time that Quinnipiac has played in the Central Time Zone in the past decade.

Aside from their two tournament clashes, North Dakota and Quinnipiac have faced each other on two other occasions:

An October 2021 series at People’s United Center (Hamden, Connecticut) went down as a split (QU 5-2, UND 3-1) despite the Bobcats outshooting the Fighting Hawks 64-35 on the weekend.

And fifteen years earlier, an October 2006 series in Grand Forks went in the books as a UND sweep. Sioux forwards Ryan Duncan, T.J. Oshie and Jonathan Toews figured heavily in those results.

Before this recent stretch of tournament appearances, the only Quinnipiac showing on the national scene came in 2001-02, when the team (competing in the MAAC and known for the last time as the ‘Braves’) suffered a 6-1 loss to Cornell in the regional semifinal.

It is fairly difficult to compare teams from different conferences, but there are some measurables. The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past eight seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 401-197-68 (.653) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, Denver in 2022) over that seven-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last six national titles.

Despite all of those accomplishments, the NCHC has not dominated the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference in recent history. Since the 2016 title game, UND and its seven league mates are just 30-19-10 (.593) against the likes of Quinnipiac, Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Union, Colgate, Rensselaer, and the six Ivy League colleges (Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale).

Last weekend, #3/#3 North Dakota (2-0-0) hosted Holy Cross for a pair at Ralph Engelstad Arena, dispatching the Crusaders by final scores of 6-0 and 4-1.

After this weekend’s home series against Quinnipiac, UND’s other non-conference opponents during the 2022-2023 campaign will be Minnesota (road), Arizona State (Hall Of Fame Game in Las Vegas, “neutral”), Bemidji State (home and home), and Lindenwood (home).

On its opening weekend, #8/#7 Quinnipiac (1-0-1) shut out Boston College in a 4-0 road victory before stumbling to a 2-2 tie against Long Island on home ice.

QU’s out-of-conference games also include Maine, Dartmouth, UMass-Lowell, Connecticut, and a rematch with Long Island.

Through two games, UND has showcased speed, skill in the faceoff circle (66.9%, best in the nation), a solid set of blueliners, and an ability to put the puck in the net, scoring on 18.2% of shots on goal. North Dakota has also won the special teams battle (4 of 15 on the power play and a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty kill) and received excellent goaltending from grad transfer Drew DeRidder (stopped all 27 shots) and sophomore Jakob Hellsten (stopped 19 of 20 shots) for a team save percentage of .979.

By comparison, Quinnipiac has won 51.0% of faceoffs, scored on just 8.8% of shots on goal, and posted a team save percentage of .944. To their credit, QU has scored on both power play opportunities and killed both shorthanded situations to this point of the season.

The Bobcats lost a ton of scoring from last year’s squad, notably forwards Ty Smilanic (13-10-23), Wyatt Bongiovanni (16-18-34), Oliver Chau (13-20-33), and Guus van Nes (6-11-17) and defensemen Brendan Less 4-16-20 and Griffin Mendel (5-10-15).

Left to shoulder the scoring load up front are graduate student Michael Lombardi (1-0-1), senior Skyler Brind’Amour (0-1-1), and graduate student Ethan de Jong (1-2-3). Graduate students TJ Friedmann (0-1-1) and Zach Metsa (1-1-2) have three of the four points from the Bobcats’ back end this season.

Brind’Amour, the son of Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour, was taken by the Oilers in the sixth round (177th pick) in the 2017 NHL draft. Before his head coaching career began in 2011, father Rod played 1484 NHL games, amassing 452 goals and adding 732 assists to go along with 1100 penalty minutes. Rod Brind’Amour’s crowning achievement as a player was captaining the Hurricanes to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in 2006 (former UND defenseman Mike Commodore was also a member of that title team).

Quinnipiac Team Profile

Head Coach: Rand Pecknold (29th season at QU, 582-333-101, .623)
National Rankings: #8/#7

This Season: 1-0-1 overall, 0-0-0 ECAC
Last Season: 32-7-3 overall (NCAA Regional Finalist), 17-3-1-1 ECAC (1st of 12 teams)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.00 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 1.00 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 100.0% (2 of 2)
Penalty Kill: 100.0% (2 of 2)

Key Players: Graduate Student F Michael Lombardi (1-0-1), Senior F Skyler Brind’Amour (0-1-1), Graduate Student F Ethan de Jong (1-2-3), Sophomore F Jacob Quillan (0-2-2), Graduate Student D TJ Friedmann (0-1-1), Graduate Student D Zach Metsa (1-1-2), Sophomore G Yaniv Perets (1-0-1, 0.96 GAA, .944 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 164-77-25, .664)
National Rankings: #3/#3

This Season: 2-0-0 overall, 0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-23 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 5.00 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 0.50 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 26.7% (4 of 15)
Penalty Kill: 100.0% (8 of 8)

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (1-0-0), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (1-0-1), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-3-3), Senior F Gavin Hain (3-0-0), Graduate Student Mark Senden (1-2-3), Freshman F Jackson Blake (1-1-2), Senior D Ethan Frisch (1-1-2), Sophomore D Brent Johnson (0-2-2), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (0-4-4), Graduate Student Drew DeRidder (1-0-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: October 23, 2021 (Hamden, CT). The Fighting Hawks scored once in each period to erase an early 1-0 deficit and defeat the homestanding Bobcats 3-1. UND scored a power play goal and a 4-on-4 goal and killed all five QU man advantage opportunities to earn a series split. Quinnipiac outshot North Dakota 36-19 in the rematch and 64-35 on the weekend, taking Game One by a margin of 5-2.

Most Important Meeting: April 9, 2016 (Tampa, FL). Two nights after UND’s late-game heroics against Denver, the Fighting Hawks outlasted the Bobcats 5-1 to claim the program’s eighth national championship. Shane Gersich and Brock Boeser scored first-period goals for North Dakota before Quinnipiac got on the board with a 5-on-3 tally late in the opening frame. After a tight, scoreless second period, Drake Caggiula scored twice in the first four minutes of the third to open up the contest. Autin Poganski potted his tenth of the year midway through the final frame, and the last nine minutes felt like one long, slow coronation for the Green and White.

Six Years Ago: March 27, 2015 (Fargo, ND). North Dakota blocked 28 shots in front of a partisan crowd at Scheels Arena and downed the Bobcats 4-1 to advance to the NCAA West Regional Final, where they would play St. Cloud State. Tucker Poolman, Bryn Chyzyk, Drake Caggiula, and Luke Johnson all scored for UND, who received 29 saves from 2015 Mike Richter Award winner Zane McIntyre. Quinnipiac went 1-for-8 with the man advantage, scoring only an extra-attacker power play goal with less than two minutes remaining.

Fifteen Years Ago: October 7, 2006 (Grand Forks, ND). A late Quinnipiac power play goal got the Bobcats within a goal, but the damage had been done by then. T.J. Oshie assisted on all three Jonathan Toews goals (remarkably, the only hat trick of his Fighting Sioux career) and Ryan Duncan had a three point night (1 g, 2 a) in a 4-2 North Dakota victory. UND blew out the Bobcats 6-1 in Friday’s opener despite only one goal from the Oshie-Toews-Duncan (D.O.T.) line.

All-time Series: The two teams have only squared off six times, with UND going 5-1 in those games while outscoring the Bobcats 24-11.

Game News and Notes

Quinnipiac has competed at the Division I level since the 1999-2000 season; that was the year UND won its seventh national championship. QU grad student Ethan de Jong is the nation’s leading career scorer with 107 points (in 145 career games), and teammate Taniv Perets is the NCAA active career leader with twelve shutouts (in 33 career games). The Bobcats play their home games at People’s United Center (capacity 3,286).

Media Coverage

Both games this weekend will be broadcast live on Midco Sports Network and also available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games, home and away, can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

The Prediction

UND coaches, players, and fans should savor this early-season measuring stick opportunity against a team which should be in the mix at the end of the year. North Dakota will need to win the special teams battle and the goaltending battle if they hope to achieve good results this weekend. Since I can’t see that happening in back-to-back games this early in the season against a quality opponent, I’ve got to go with a split. QU 3-2, UND 4-1.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

It has been ten seasons since North Dakota tangled with Holy Cross, and the Green and White handled the Crusaders 5-2 and 3-2 in a January 2013 home sweep. Holy Cross led Saturday’s game 2-1 after two periods, but UND rallied with two goals in the third period. Sioux senior Corban Knight had six points on the weekend.

That trip to Grand Forks pales in comparison to the 2006 NCAA regional at the Ralph, when Holy Cross upset Minnesota 4-3 in overtime in front of 11,153 pro-purple fans at Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Crusaders held the Golden Gophers scoreless on seven man-advantage opportunities and converted one of their ten power plays, as overtime hero Tyler McGregor also scored on a five-on-three late in the second period to breathe life into the Holy Cross bench and the partisan crowd.

This season, Holy Cross was tabbed to finish in last place in the ten-team Atlantic Hockey conference, while North Dakota is ranked #3 in the country and was picked to finish second in the NCHC, the nation’s toughest conference and winners of five of the past six national titles.

Second-year head coach Bill Riga led Holy Cross to twelve wins last season (12-23-2), a huge improvement over the 4-12-0 mark posted by his predecessor David Berard, who managed a record of 84-116-34 in his seven seasons behind the Crusaders’ bench. Riga was a former Quinnipiac assistant who faced off against UND in the 2016 national title game.

Holy Cross has managed just two NCAA tourney appearances (2004, 2006) in its 56-year history at the Division I level, and both of those tournament runs ended at the hands of North Dakota.

In exhibition action last weekend, North Dakota bested Manitoba 5-1, while Holy Cross upended Boston College 3-2.

UND has only four freshmen on the roster this season (all forwards) and just three seniors, although the Fighting Hawks also have six graduate or fifth-year students.

Holy Cross Team Profile

Head Coach: Bill Riga (2nd season at Holy Cross, 12-23-2, .351)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Last Season: 12-23-2 overall, 7-14-3-2 Atlantic Hockey (10th of 10 teams)

Last Season’s Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.08 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.92 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 18.9% (24 of 127)
Penalty Kill: 81.9% (131 of 160)

Key Players (last season’s statistics):

Junior F Jack Ricketts (10-8-18), Junior F Matt Guerra (7-11-18), Junior F Lucas Thorne (7-10-17), Senior F Grayson Constable (7-1-8), Senior D Nick Hale (4-18-22), Junior F Jake Higgins (1-3-4), Sophomore G Thomas Gale (2-3-0, 3.72 GAA, .891 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 162-77-25, .661)

National Rankings: #3/#3
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

Last Season’s Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.05 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.59 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 23.1% (33 of 143)
Penalty Kill: 78.6% (121 of 154)

Key Players (last season’s statistics): Junior F Riese Gaber (15-22-37), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (8-16-24), Sophomore F Matteo Costantini (8-13-21), Senior F Judd Caulfield (11-9-20), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (9-10-19), Senior D Ethan Frisch (9-6-15), Junior D Tyler Kleven (7-3-10), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (1-14-15), Graduate Student Drew DeRidder (9-15-1, 2.94 GAA, .918 SV%, 2 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: January 5, 2013 (Grand Forks, ND). Holy Cross led 2-1 after forty minutes of play but could not hold on, as Michael Parks and Danny Kristo potted third-period goals ten minutes apart to give North Dakota a 3-2 victory and the series sweep. UND outshot the Crusaders 37-19 for the game and 78-34 on the weekend.

Most Important Meeting: March 25, 2006 (Grand Forks, ND). One night after Holy Cross shocked the hockey world by downing Minnesota and North Dakota delighted the home fans with a 5-1 defeat of the Michigan Wolverines, the Fighting Sioux and Crusaders met with a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four on the line. UND’s Jonathan Toews scored less than 80 seconds into the contest and North Dakota never trailed, outshooting Holy Cross 32-19 and advancing to the Frozen Four with a 5-2 victory.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series 4-0 and has outscored the Crusaders 16-6. The teams first met on March 26, 2004 (NCAA West Regional).

Game News and Notes

The Crusaders play their home games at Hart Recreation Center (capacity 1,400). Last season, Holy Cross was 10-1-1 when scoring three or more goals but a dreadful 2-22-1 when failing to score three. The Crusaders have not faced an NCHC opponent since the last time they played North Dakota (January 2013). UND junior forward Riese Gaber was named to the 2022-2023 Preseason All-CHN First Team.

The Prediction

In the more than twenty years that Ralph Engelstad Arena has been open, we’ve seen many examples of North Dakota taking opponents too lightly as well as opposing teams bringing their best effort to the Ralph. This year’s version of the Green and White should be better defensively, with goaltending the only question mark. I expect a tight contest in Game One, with depth and talent shining through in the rematch. UND 3-2, 4-1.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast live on Midco Sports and also available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.