Month: November 2022

#19/#19 North Dakota hosts unranked Miami for a pair of NCHC games this weekend, and facing the RedHawks may be just what UND needs to right the ship after being swept at home last weekend at the hands of the Denver Pioneers.

The Miami RedHawks have only faced North Dakota five times over the past two seasons, but that has been more than enough for Chris Bergeron’s squad.

The Fighting Hawks traveled to Oxford, Ohio last November and earned a road sweep with 4-1 and 5-4 victories. UND outshot Miami 68-31 in the two-game series.

Almost one year earlier (December 2nd, 2020), the two teams met in Omaha in the first pod game for either side. North Dakota blanked Miami 2-0 and put 39 shots on goal.

And in the rematch on December 20th – the final game of the Omaha pod – the RedHawks managed to score twice but allowed six North Dakota goals on 39 shots.

Miami put a total of 42 shots on frame over the course of those six periods of hockey.

After those two December tilts, the teams were not scheduled to face each other in the second half of the 2021-2022 season. As fate would have it, however, top-seeded UND (18-5-1) drew last-place Miami (5-17-2) in the first round of the modified NCHC Frozen Faceoff. There was little drama in the contest, as the Fighting Hawks scored three goals in the first six minutes of the hockey game and cruised to a 6-2 victory, outshooting MU 46-28.

In the past five games, North Dakota has outscored Miami 23-14 while holding a 192-101 advantage in shots on goal.

Over the past two seasons, the RedHawks had to rely on junior goaltender Ludvig Persson to keep games close, as Miami only averaged 2.33 goals per game. Unfortunately, MU allowed 3.97 goals per game over those two campaigns and only won twelve total games (12-45-4, .230).

The scoring margin has gotten better for Chris Bergeron and company this year, with 25 goals scored (2.08/game) and 34 allowed (2.83) through the first twelve games of the season (4-6-2).

Nine full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (Miami and Western Michigan) created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA. And now, the WCHA is no more, and the CCHA reformed beginning with the 2021-2022 campaign.

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 420-216-70 (.644) 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, and 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.

Over the first nine seasons of the NCHC, Miami has averaged slightly better than a seventh-place finish among the eight conference teams (8th, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 8th, 7th, 8th, and 8th), with a combined league record of 59-133-24 (.329).

By comparison, North Dakota has finished 2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 1st, 1st, and 1st for an average finish just under second place and a combined league record of 133-67-16 (.653). No other league member has collected as many conference wins as UND.

When the National Collegiate Hockey Conference was formed, Miami appeared positioned to be a dominant program. Prior to the 2013-14 season (their inaugural campaign in the NCHC), the RedHawks had made eight consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, with consecutive Frozen Four bids in 2009 (2nd) and 2010 (3rd). Since joining the NCHC, Miami has just one NCAA tournament appearance (2015), and that ended quickly with a first-round loss to eventual national champion Providence.

Long-tenured head coach Enrico Blasi was fired after posting a fourth consecutive losing season in 2018-2019. Over that stretch of time, the RedHawks were 47-81-19 (.384). There is reason for optimism in Oxford, however, with new bench boss Chris Bergeron taking over the program after leading Bowling Green to six consecutive winning seasons, five consecutive years with twenty or more victories, and an NCAA tournament appearance in 2018-2019.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Chris Bergeron’s squad has six players who meet that threshold: junior forward Matthew Barbolini (4-6-10), senior forward Joe Cassetti (5-3-8), sophomore forward Red Savage (4-4-8), freshman forward Max Dukovac (1-6-7), junior forward PJ Fletcher (2-4-6), and junior defenseman Hampus Rydqvist (1-5-6).

Red Savage and Max Dukovac, two stalwarts on the Miami power play, did not make the trip to Grand Forks this weekend.

By that same measure, North Dakota has ten players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (8-4-12), freshman forward Jackson Blake (4-7-11), freshman forward Dylan James (1-5-6), senior forward Gavin Hain (5-1-6), graduate forward Mark Senden (3-3-6), sophomore forward Nick Portz (0-4-4), sophomore forward Jake Schmaltz (3-3-6), senior forward Carson Albrecht (1-0-1 in two games), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (2-12-14), and junior defenseman Cooper Moore (2-5-7).

Cooper Moore is questionable for this weekend’s games with an undisclosed illness/injury, while fellow blueliner Tyler Kleven is probable with a lower body injury.

UND is second in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 12.7% (38 goals on 300 shots). By comparison, Miami is 47th in the country at 7.7% (25 goals on 325 shots). The two teams created almost an identical number of shots on goal per game (UND 27.3, Miami 27.1), although North Dakota only allows 26.4 shots on goal per game (15th) while the RedHawks surrender an average of 31.8 (46th). The Fighting Hawks (34th in Corsi, 32nd in Fenwick) also lead MU (40th, 44th) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s eighth-best team on draws (55.0%), while MU clocks in at 45.1% (56th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 150 of 254 (59.1%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has been a bit better than even (109 of 210, 51.9), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (70 of 138, 50.7%). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chipped in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For Miami, sophomore Red Savage has taken the majority of important draws, going 126 of 265 (47.5%). Senior Joe Cassetti has had the most success (101 of 211, 47.9%), while two freshmen – William Hallen (36 of 80, 45.0%) and Blake Mesenburg (41 of 91, 45.1%) – have been steady but not spectacular.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-10, with sixteen power play goals scored (16 for 53, 30.2%, 4th in the country) and only six power play goals allowed (36 of 42, 85.7%, 9th). Miami has posted a minus-2, with nine power play goals scored (9 of 49, 18.4%, 36th), thirteen power play goals allowed (47 of 60, 78.3%, 42ns), three shorthanded goals scored, and one shorthanded goal allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned eleven more power plays than penalty kill situations (53-42), while Miami has earned eleven more penalty kill situations than power plays (60-49).

North Dakota is 10th in the country in scoring offense (3.45 goals scored/game) but just 44th in the country in scoring defense (3.18 goals allowed/game). Miami is 48th in the country in scoring offense (2.08 goals scored/game) but a more respectable 31st in scoring defense (2.83 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.

The RedHawks and Fighting Hawks will also tangle on January 27th and 28th at Goggin Ice Center in Oxford, Ohio.

Miami RedHawks

Head Coach: Chris Bergeron (4th season at Miami, 24-72-11, .276)
National Rankings: NR/NR

This Season: 4-6-2 overall, 0-5-1 NCHC (8th)
Last Season: 7-27-2 overall, 4-16-1-3 NCHC (8th)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.08 goals scored/game – 48th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.83 goals allowed/game – 31st of 62 teams

Power Play: 18.4% (9 of 49) – 36th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 78.3% (47 of 60) – 42nd of 62 teams

Key players: Junior F Matthew Barbolini (4-6-10), Senior F Joe Cassetti (5-3-8), Sophomore F Red Savage (4-4-8), Freshman F Max Dukovac (1-6-7), Junior F PJ Fletcher (2-4-6), Junior D Hampus Rydqvist (1-5-6), Senior D Jack Clement (0-2-2), Junior G Ludvig Persson (4-6-2, 2.55 GAA, .918 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 166-82-27, .653)
National Rankings: #19/#19

This Season: 4-5-2 overall, 1-2-0-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.45 goals scored/game – 10th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.18 goals allowed/game – 44th of 62 teams

Power Play: 30.2% (16 of 53) – 4th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 85.7% (36 of 42) – 9th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (8-4-12), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-3-6), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-5-5), Graduate Student Mark Senden (3-3-6), Freshman F Jackson Blake (4-7-11), Senior F Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in nine games), Freshman F Dylan James (1-5-6 in nine games) Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (2-12-14), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-3-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (2-5-7), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (3-3-1, 2.72 GAA, .900 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: November 13, 2021 (Oxford, OH). After a furious opening frame that ended with North Dakota holding a 3-2 advantage on the scoreboard, the two teams traded goals in each of the next two periods, leaving the homestanding RedHawks one goal short. That 5-4 UND win, coupled with Friday night’s 4-1 victory, earned the Green and White a rare road sweep in the NCHC. The Fighting Hawks outshot their flying foes 68-31 in the series.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: March 12, 2021. Top-seeded UND (18-5-1) drew last-place Miami (5-17-2) in the first round of the modified NCHC Frozen Faceoff. There was little drama in the contest, as the Fighting Hawks scored three goals in the first six minutes of the hockey game (including two by Collin Adams) and cruised to a 6-2 victory, outshooting MU 46-28. Over the next four days, North Dakota would defeat Denver 2-1 (OT) and St. Cloud State 5-3 to claim the program’s first NCHC postseason tournament title.

Most Important Meeting: March 6, 2015 (Oxford, OH). North Dakota claimed the Penrose Cup with a 2-1 road victory over Miami. UND fell flat the following night, losing 6-3 in the final game of the regular season.

Last Ten: UND has picked up eight wins and a tie (8-1-1, .850) in the past ten contests between the teams, outscoring Miami 46-24 over that stretch of games. The RedHawks have not beaten North Dakota since November 10, 2018, a 3-2 home victory.

All-time Series: North Dakota leads the all-time series 22-7-4 (.727), including a sparkling 10-2-2 (.786) record in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first played in 1999 (Badger Showdown, Milwaukee, WI).

Game News and Notes

In five career games against Miami, junior forward Riese Gaber has scored six goals and added an assist. The RedHawks have not beaten UND in over four years. North Dakota goaltender Drew DeRidder has faced MU once in his collegiate career, earning a 2-1 Michigan State comeback victory over Miami with 35 saves on Saturday, October 26th, 2021. Green Hawks are preferable to RedHawks.

On A Personal Note

I have participated in Movember for the past ten years and have proudly raised over $20,000 to help change the face of men’s health. Will you join me and support the cause? Please visit my Movember fundraising page to learn more and to donate. Thank you!

The Prediction

If ever there was a “get right” series for North Dakota hockey, this is it. UND is deeper, more talented, and has dug itself a hole in the league standings, and that last point might be the most important of them all. The Fighting Hawks will be a motivated group from the drop of the puck on Friday night, and that will make for a long weekend for the visiting RedHawks. UND 4-1, 4-2.

Broadcast Information

Both games this weekend will be broadcast live on Midco Sports and also available online at NCHC.tv; puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. Central Time on Friday and 6:07 p.m. Central Time on Saturday. 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.

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!

#12/#13 North Dakota (4-3-2) will host #2/#2 Denver (7-3-0) at Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend in a matchup of two perennial powerhouses.

Before we dig into this weekend’s matchup, let’s take a quick look back at the past few games between the two teams…

In the 2021 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals (held at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks), North Dakota needed overtime to outlast a gutsy performance by a Pios squad that had been decimated by COVID-19. DU dressed only nine forwards for the contest but led 1-0 with under 90 seconds remaining. With the goalie pulled, the Fighting Hawks’ Shane Pinto blasted a shot on net that hit Jasper Weatherby on the way in to send the game to overtime. It took over eight minutes of extra time before Gavin Hain sent the home crowd into a frenzy with a blast of his own that advanced the Green and White into the championship game; Denver had just killed Antti Tuomisto’s boarding minor but could not clear the zone. UND outshot the weary Pioneers 20-4 in the third period and overtime.

With the playoff victory, North Dakota moved to 20-5-1 on the season; David Carle’s squad saw its season end at 10-13-1, the first time DU failed to advance to the NCAA tournament since 2007. The 2020-2021 season was the first losing campaign for DU since the 1999-2000 team went 16-23-2. UND won five of the seven meetings between the teams two years ago, outscoring the Pios 22-14. North Dakota allowed ten goals in the first three meetings with a record of 1-2; since their loss in game one at Denver on January 17th, the Fighting Hawks notched four consecutive victories over DU (15 goals for, 4 goals against). That mid-January defeat was definitely a wakeup call for Brady Berry’s squad; from that point until the end of the season, the Green and White went 13-3, outscoring opponents 69-28.

Denver definitely rebounded last year, going 31-9-1 and defeating Minnesota State 5-1 for the program’s ninth national title. That championship game was tied 1-1 until the 7:33 mark of the third period. The Pios would add two empty-net goals for the misleading final score.

Since Denver ended North Dakota’s season in 2019, UND has gone 10-2-1 against the Pios.

In the NCHC, it is clear that Denver/North Dakota is at the top of the league rivalries, with the two programs combining for seven NCHC regular season titles and averaging a top-three finish in the league standings each year (UND 2.2, DU 3.1).

The teams have played 39 times during the first nine seasons of the new conference (with UND going 19-13-7), but the feud goes all the way back to Geoff Paukovitch’ illegal check on Sioux forward Robbie Bina during the 2005 WCHA Final Five.

Since that 2005 Final Five contest (a Denver victory), the two teams have met thirteen times in tournament play. Denver won the 2005 NCAA title with a victory over North Dakota and claimed a 2008 WCHA Final Five win as well. UND has earned six victories and a tie in the last ten playoff games between the schools, including three consecutive victories in the WCHA Final Five (2010-2012), the 2011 NCAA Midwest Regional final which sent the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four, 2016’s thrilling Frozen Four semifinal (a 4-2 UND victory) in Tampa, Florida, and the 2017 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Denver turned the tables by dispatching North Dakota in the first round of the league playoffs at Magness Arena to end the Fighting Hawks’ 2018-2019 campaign.

(It is impossible to bring up the Paukovitch/Bina incident without also writing that Brad Malone‘s check on Denver’s Jesse Martin during an October 2010 contest at Ralph Engelstad Arena fractured three of Martin’s vertebrae and ended the hockey career of the Atlanta Thrashers’ draft pick.)

The rivalry intensified two seasons ago, with the teams combining for 187 penalty minutes in six regular season games (the NCHC semifinal game featured just four minor penalties). The last contest between the squads in Denver saw a DU goaltender run over with nine minutes remaining, which ignited tempers further. That spilled over to the series in Grand Forks in February, with the Pioneers “winning” the penalty minute battle 54-29. North Dakota won the specialty teams battle, scoring two goals on ten man-advantage opportunities and blanking DU on its ten power play chances.

In Saturday’s series finale, North Dakota led on the scoreboard 5-2 thanks to two goals by Jasper Weatherby and 18 saves from Peter Thome, who started in place of injured netminder Adam Scheel. And how was Scheel injured, you might ask? Denver’s Kohen Olischefski ran Scheel from behind late in Friday’s 3-0 UND victory. Olischefski was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for goaltender interference and was issued an additional one-game suspension by the league office.

And in the only series played between the teams last year, the two sides combined for 78 penalty minutes and ten power play opportunities. UND swept the series 3-1 and 4-1, thanks in no small part to a 1-for-5 effort on the power play and a perfect penalty kill.

Nine full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA. And now, the WCHA is no more, and the CCHA reformed beginning with the 2021-2022 campaign.

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 420-216-70 (.644) 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, and 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.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and David Carle’s squad has eight active players who meet that threshold and THREE averaging a point per game or better: sophomore forward Massimo Rizzo (4-13-17), senior forward Casey Dornbach (5-9-14), sophomore forward Carter Mazur (10-3-13), sophomore forward Jack Devine (3-2-5), junior forward McKade Webster (1-1-2 in three games), freshman forward Aidan Thompson (0-1-1 in two games), junior defenseman Mike Benning (2-5-7), and sophomore defenseman Shai Buium (1-5-6). Rizzo was a former North Dakota recruit.

It is worth noting that DU lost its top four point-getters and six of the top ten from last year’s title team: forwards Bobby Brink (14-43-57), Cole Guttman (19-26-45), Carter Savoie (23-22-45), Brett Stapley (18-25-43), Cameron Wright (23-11-34), and Ryan Barrow (8-13-21) combined to score 105 of Denver’s 175 goals (60.0%) and 245 of the team’s 493 points (49.7%) a season ago.

By that same measure, North Dakota has twelve players at a half point or better, although two of those – senior forwards Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in seven games) and Carson Albrecht (1-0-1 in two games) – are injured and questionable to return to the lineup. Leading the way for UND are junior forward Riese Gaber (8-3-11), freshman forward Jackson Blake (4-5-9), graduate forward Mark Senden (3-3-6), sophomore forward Nick Portz (0-4-4), freshman forward Owen McLaughlin (0-5-5), sophomore forward Jake Schmaltz (3-2-5), junior forward Louis Jamernik V (0-5-5), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (1-11-12), junior defenseman Cooper Moore (1-5-6), and senior defenseman Ethan Frisch (2-3-5).

UND is fifth in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 13.0% (33 goals on 253 shots). By comparison, Denver is 37th in the country at 9.3% (31 goals on 334 shots). The Pioneers average more than five additional shots on goal per game than the Fighting Hawks (33.4 – 28.1) and lead UND in both puck possession statistics (Corsi and Fenwick).

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s tenth-best team on draws (53.9%), while Denver clocks in at 48.5% (40th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 117 of 201 (58.2%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has been nearly even (81 of 164, 49.4), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (60 of 119, 50.4%). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chipped in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For Denver, sophomore Massimo Rizzo has taken the majority of important draws, going 73 of 151 (48.3%). Sophomore Carter King has had the most success (55 of 107, 51.4%), while junior Carter Caponi (71 of 144, 49.3%) and sophomore Tristan Broz (40 of 84, 47.6%) have been steady but not spectacular.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined +10, with fourteen power play goals scored (14 for 44, 31.8%, 3rd in the country) and only four power play goals allowed (29 of 33, 87.9%, 8th). Denver has posted a +1, with eleven power play goals scored (11 of 47, 23.4%, 19th), eight power play goals allowed (26 of 34, 76.5%, 40th), and two shorthanded goals allowed.

North Dakota is 9th in the country in scoring offense (3.67 goals scored/game) but just 33rd in the country in scoring defense (2.89 goals allowed/game). Denver is 25th in the country in scoring offense (3.10 goals scored/game) but a more respectable 8th in scoring defense (2.10 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.

Last season, Denver went 31-9-1 on the way to the program’s ninth national title. North Dakota (2-0 vs. the Pios) and Minnesota Duluth (3-2) were the only teams to beat DU more than once during the 2021-2022 campaign.

The Pioneers and Fighting Hawks will also tangle on February 10th and 11th at Magness Arena in Denver, Colorado.

Denver Team Profile

Head Coach: David Carle (5th season at DU, 93-46-13, .655)
National Rankings: #2/#2

This Season: 7-3-0 overall, 3-0-0-1 NCHC (1st)
Last Season: 31-9-1 overall (National Champions), 17-6-1-0 NCHC (1st)

2022-2023 Team Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.10 goals scored/game – 25th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.10 goals allowed/game – 8th of 62 teams

Power Play: 23.4% (11 of 47) – 19th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 76.5% (26 of 34) – 40th of 62 teams

Key players: Sophomore FMassimo Rizzo (4-13-17), Senior F Casey Dornbach (5-9-14), Sophomore F Carter Mazur (10-3-13), Sophomore F Jack Devine (3-2-5), Junior D Mike Benning (2-5-7), Sophomore D Shai Buium (1-5-6), Senior D Justin Lee (1-2-3), Senior G Magnus Chrona (6-3-0, 2.14 GAA, .911 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 166-80-27, .658)
National Rankings: #10/#11

This Season: 4-3-2 overall, 1-0-0-1 NCHC (3rd)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.67 goals scored/game – 9th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.89 goals allowed/game – 33rd of 62 teams

Power Play: 31.8% (14 of 44) – 3rd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 87.9% (29 of 33) – 8th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (8-3-11), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-2-5), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-5-5), Graduate Student Mark Senden (3-3-6), Freshman F Jackson Blake (4-5-9), Senior F Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in seven games), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (1-11-12), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-3-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (1-5-6), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (3-2-1, 2.65 GAA, .906 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: November 6, 2021 (Grand Forks, ND). North Dakota built a two-goal lead after twenty minutes of play on goals by Matteo Costantini and Tyler Kleven and withstood a furious middle frame by the Pios, surrendering just a single goal on eight shots. In the third period, UND scored twice at 4-on-4 to win by a final margin of 4-1. In Friday’s opener, North Dakota’s Louis Jamernik scored twice, and the Fighting Hawks held Denver scoreless on five power play opportunities. The teams combined for 78 penalty minutes in the weekend series.

A Recent Memory: April 7, 2016 (Tampa, Florida). In the semifinals of the NCAA Frozen Four, the two league rivals squared off in a tightly-contested matchup. Senior forward Drake Caggiula scored twice early in the middle frame to stake UND to a 2-0 lead, but the Pioneers battled back with a pair of third period goals. The CBS line came through when it mattered most, with Nick Schmaltz scoring the game winner off of a faceoff win with 57 seconds remaining in the hockey game. North Dakota blocked 27 Denver shot attempts and goaltender Cam Johnson made 21 saves for the Fighting Hawks, who won the program’s eighth national title on the same sheet of ice two nights later.

Most Important Meeting: It’s hard to pick just one game, as the two teams have played four times for the national title. Denver defeated UND for the national championship in 1958, 1968, and 2005, while the Sioux downed the Pioneers in 1963. But the game that stands out in recent memory as “the one that got away” was DU’s 1-0 victory over the Fighting Sioux in the 2004 NCAA West Regional final (Colorado Springs, CO). That North Dakota team went 30-8-4 on the season (Dean Blais’ last behind the UND bench) and featured one of the deepest rosters in the past twenty years: Brandon Bochenski, Zach Parise, Brady Murray, Colby Genoway, Drew Stafford and David Lundbohm up front; Nick Fuher, Matt Jones, Matt Greene, and Ryan Hale on defense; and a couple of goaltending stalwarts in Jordan Parise and Jake Brandt.

Last Ten Games: The Fighting Hawks have an 8-2-0 (.800) advantage over the last ten games. UND has outscored DU 34-17 over that stretch, including a 22-6 scoreboard advantage in six home victories.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 156-130-16 (.543), including a massive 92-44-10 (.658) advantage in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first met in 1950, with North Dakota prevailing 18-3 in Denver. The 302 games played between the schools is the most among all of UND’s opponents.

Game News and Notes

Since Denver ended North Dakota’s season in 2019, UND has gone 10-2-1 against the Pios. DU is 5-1 at home this season but just 2-2 on the road. Fighting Hawks’ captain Mark Senden has faced Denver 19 times in his collegiate career, with one goal and seven assists in those contests. Eleven of Denver head coach David Carle’s 46 head coaching losses have come against UND. Last season, the Fighting Hawks won the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions for the fifth time in the nine-year history of the league; the Pioneers have captured the Penrose only twice (2016-2017 and 2021-2022). Since seven of Michigan’s nine titles were earned by 1964, I consider Denver (nine titles) and North Dakota (eight titles) to be the top two men’s college hockey programs of all time.

On A Personal Note

I have participated in Movember for the past ten years and have proudly raised nearly $20,000 to help change the face of men’s health. Will you join me and support the cause? Please visit my Movember fundraising page to learn more and to donate. Thank you!

The Prediction

Denver’s roundabout travel plan will definitely have an effect on Friday’s opener. It will be interesting to see how this next chapter in the rivalry plays out. I expect North Dakota to trail for large stretches of this series as they have against tough opponents to this point in the season. Special teams seem to favor North Dakota, but the Fighting Hawks also have more scoring depth and might prefer to play long stretches at even strength. The difference may just come down to goaltending, but I have a feeling that there will be plenty of goals scored at the Ralph this weekend. UND 4-2, DU 4-3.

Broadcast Information

Both games this weekend 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.

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!

#10/#11 North Dakota (3-3-1) will head to Nebraska this weekend to face Omaha (4-3-1) at Baxter Arena exactly eight months after securing the program’s third-consecutive Penrose Cup with a 5-4 overtime victory on that very same ice.

Before we dig into this weekend’s matchup, let’s take a quick look back at the past few games between the two teams…

On March 4th, 2022, North Dakota built a 4-2 advantage over the first two periods but gave up the lead in the third period, allowing a power play goal at 8:49 and an extra-attacker goal at 19:04. Less than 90 seconds into overtime, UND’s Tyler Kleven scored a 3-on-3 goal to secure yet another league championship for the Fighting Hawks. There was certainly a letdown the following night, as Omaha dispatched the visitors by a final score of 4-1.

One month earlier (Friday, February 4th), UND broke a 1-1 tie with three goals in the second period, including a 5-on-3 tally by Ethan Frisch with seven seconds remaining. In Saturday’s rematch, North Dakota built a 2-0 lead through two periods but could not hold off the Mavs, allowing two third-period goals less than three minutes apart and surrendering a 3-on-3 goal midway through the five-minute overtime session.

Saturday’s rematch marked the first time in 19 games between the teams that the team scoring first did not prevail.

And two seasons ago, the two teams tangled six times over the course of 36 days in the second half of the season, and familiarity bred contempt. To that point, a line brawl erupted in the final minute of the fourth meeting between the squads, a 7-1 North Dakota home victory which secured the Fighting Hawks’ second consecutive league championship and saw Brad Berry’s squad hoist the #PenneRosa for the fourth time in the eight-year history of the NCHC.

The Saturday melee in Grand Forks started with Omaha sophomore forward Joey Abate slashing UND’s Louis Jamernik on the wrist instead of attempting to win the faceoff. Jamernik responded with a cross-check, and the royal rumble was on. Not surprisingly, Abate did the same thing late in Friday’s game with North Dakota leading 4-1 and less than two minutes on the clock.

Despite the aforementioned Maverick ruffians, Omaha was the biggest surprise in the NCHC two seasons ago. Of course, I expected them to have good results playing at home in the pod (and they did, posting a record of 6-3-1), but I also expected them to regress in the second half. On the contrary, the Mavs went a combined 7-3 against Colorado College (4-0), Denver (2-2), and North Dakota (1-1) over the first ten games of the “normal travel” portion of the schedule, finished with an overall record of 14-11-1, and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since their Frozen Four appearance in 2015. UNO ended its season with two consecutive losses; a 5-4 defeat at the hands of Denver in the opening round of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff and a 7-2 drubbing by #2 Minnesota in the NCAA West Regional (Loveland, CO). The Gophers would be blanked 4-0 in the regional final by #5 Minnesota State.

Omaha’s 2020-2021 campaign was buoyed by excellent results in close games, including four overtime victories, four wins by one goal in regulation, and a ninth in a shootout. The Mavericks’ two victories over UND last season were a 5-4 win on January 30th and a 3-2 overtime victory on March 5th. North Dakota defeated UNO by scores of 6-2, 4-1, 7-1, and 4-2 for a combined scoring margin of 27-14 over the six-game season series.

Omaha did not make the national tournament last season, finishing with a record of 21-17-0.

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Mike Gabinet’s 2022-2023 squad has eleven active players who meet that threshold, including eight forwards: senior Jack Randl (10-3-13), graduate student Tyler Weiss (2-7-9), sophomore Ty Mueller (2-5-7), graduate student Jake Pivonka (2-4-6), freshman Jacob Guevin (0-5-5), sophomore Cameron Berg (2-3-5), junior Matt Miller (1-3-4), and freshman Tyler Rollwagen (1-2-3 in six games). On defense, the Mavericks are led by sophomore Davis Pennington (0-5-5), freshman Joaquim Lemay (1-3-4), and graduate student Jonny Tychonick (1-3-4).

By that same measure, North Dakota has twelve players at a half point or better, although at least one of those – senior forward Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in 7 games) – will not be in the lineup this weekend due to injury. Leading the way for UND are forwards Riese Gaber (5-3-8), Jackson Blake (4-4-8), Jake Schmaltz (3-2-5), Louis Jamernik V (0-5-5), and Mark Senden (3-2-5) and defensemen Chris Jandric (1-10-11), Ethan Frisch (1-3-4), and Cooper Moore (1-3-4).

UND is tops in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 15.1% (26 goals on 172 shots). By comparison, Omaha is 21st in the country at 10.9% (27 goals on 247 shots). The Mavericks average more than six additional shots on goal per game than the FIghting Hawks (30.9 – 24.6) and lead UND in both puck possession statistics (Corsi and Fenwick).

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s eighth-best team on draws (55.2%), while Omaha clocks in at 52.7% (16th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 91 of 153 (59.5%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has been nearly even (66 of 130, 50.8%), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (48 of 89, 53.9%). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chippied in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For Omaha, graduate student Jake Pivonka has taken the majority of important draws, going 69 of 128 (53.9%). Senior captain Nolan Sullivan has had the most success (58 of 104, 55.8%), while sophomore Ty Mueller (59 of 111, 53.2%) has been a steady third option.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined +8, with twelve power play goals scored (12 for 35, 34.3%, 2nd in the country) and only four power play goals allowed (19 of 23, 82.6%, 24th). Omaha has posted a +1, with ten power play goals scored (10 of 33, 30.3%, 5th), eight power play goals allowed (28 of 36, 77.8%, 37th), one shorthanded goal scored, and two shorthanded goals allowed.

North Dakota is 11th in the country in scoring offense (3.71 goals scored/game) but just 41st in the country in scoring defense (3.14 goals allowed/game). Omaha is 17th in the country in scoring offense (3.38 goals scored/game) but a more respectable 21st 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.

Omaha Team Profile

Head Coach: Mike Gabinet (6th season at UNO, 79-89-12, .472)
National Rankings: NR/NR

This Season: 4-3-1 overall
Last Season: 21-17-0 overall, 9-12-2-1 NCHC (6th)

Team Offense: 3.38 goals scored/game – 17th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.50 goals allowed/game – 21st of 62 teams

Power Play: 30.3% (10 of 33) – 5th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 77.8% (28 of 36) – 37th of 62 teams

Key Players: Senior F Jack Randl (10-3-13), Graduate Student F Tyler Weiss (2-7-9), Sophomore F Ty Mueller (2-5-7), Graduate Student Jake Pivonka (2-4-6), Sophomore F Cameron Berg (2-3-5), Sophomore D Davis Pennington (0-5-5), Freshman D Joaquim Lemay (1-3-4), Graduate Student D Jonny Tychonick (1-3-4), Junior G Jake Kucharski (2-2-1, 1.85 GAA, .913 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 165-80-26, .657)
National Rankings: #10/#11

This Season: 3-3-1 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: 3.71 goals scored/game – 11th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.14 goals allowed/game – 41st of 62 teams

Power Play: 34.3% (12 of 35) – 2nd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 82.6% (19 of 23) – 24th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (5-3-8), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-2-5), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-5-5), Graduate Student Mark Senden (3-2-5), Freshman F Jackson Blake (4-4-8), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (1-10-11), Senior D Ethan Frisch (1-3-4), Junior D Cooper Moore (1-3-4), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (2-2-0, 3.00 GAA, .903 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers:

Last meeting: March 5, 2022 (Omaha, NE). The Mavericks’ Chase Primeau scored twice and added an assist as the homestanding Mavs upended the Fighting Hawks 4-1. One night earlier, North Dakota built a 4-2 lead over the first two periods but gave up the lead in the third period, allowing a power play goal at 8:49 and an extra-attacker goal at 19:04. Less than 90 seconds into overtime, UND’s Tyler Kleven scored a 3-on-3 goal to secure yet another league championship for the Fighting Hawks. There was certainly a letdown the following night, as Omaha dispatched the visitors by a final score of 4-1.

Most memorable meeting: The game that UND fans will long remember is the outdoor game played at TD Ameritrade Park (Omaha, Nebraska) on February 9th, 2013. One day after winning a tight 2-1 contest indoors, North Dakota throttled UNO 5-2 on a sunny, melty afternoon. Mavericks netminder John Faulkner was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in just ten minutes of game action. In my opinion, this hockey weekend solidified the notion that for UND hockey, it’s always a home game.

Last ten: North Dakota has won six of the last ten contests between the schools, outscoring the Mavericks 39-26 over that stretch. Three of the last five games have gone to overtime, with two of those going the way of Omaha by identical 3-2 scores.

All-time: UND leads the all-time series 30-17-1 (.635), including a 15-8-0 (.652) record in games played in Omaha. North Dakota owns a record of 25-14-1 (.638) against the Mavericks since both teams joined the NCHC. The teams first met on November 19, 2010.

Game News and Notes

Omaha’s Jack Randl and Denver’s Carter Mazur are tied for the most goals in the nation with ten goals each through eight games. In 2015, both North Dakota and Omaha advanced to the Frozen Four but neither team made the championship game. UND fell to Boston University 5-3, while the Mavericks were upended 4-1 by eventual national champion Providence. Since joining the WCHA in 2011 (and later the NCHC), the Mavs have never reached the Twin Cities for the second weekend of the conference tournament despite having home ice in three of those eight years. North Dakota’s Brad Berry is 21-11-0 (.656) in his head coaching career against Omaha. In 20 of the past 21 contests in this series, the winning team is the one which scores the first goal.

The Prediction

While North Dakota has been battling Quinnipiac, Minnesota, and Arizona State, Omaha has matched up against Niagara, Lake Superior, Alaska, and Long Island. In the conference opener for both schools, expect tensions to be high. I expect both games to be high scoring, with each side having success on the power play. This feels like a split, although I wouldn’t be surprised if the Fighting Hawks do better than that. UND 4-3, UNO 4-3.

Broadcast Information

Both games this weekend 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.

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!