#10 North Dakota (3-4-0) travels to Duluth this weekend to face the unranked UMD Bulldogs (3-4-0) in the NCHC opener for both teams.
To this point of the season, UND has faced only ranked opponents (#11 Providence, #16 Minnesota State, #9 Boston University, and #6 Cornell).
Minnesota-Duluth, on the other hand, has faced unranked Bemidji State, #17 UMass-Lowell, #3 Minnesota, and unranked Stonehill.
In the NCHC preseason poll, UND was picked to finish in second place (behind Denver), while the Bulldogs ended up in seventh place (ahead of only Arizona State and Miami).
The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past ten seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 532-275-85 (.644) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent thirteen 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 both 2022 and 2024) over that nine-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022, 2024), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won six of the last eight national titles.
The Bulldogs played ten games at the Division I level in the early 1930s but didn’t really get started until after World War II. Its first 19 seasons after the war were played as an independent before joining the WCHA in 1965. It would take 18 seasons – and a head coach named Mike Sertich – before UMD would make the NCAA tournament, and Sertich would take them there in three consecutive seasons:
1982-1983: National Quarterfinalist
1983-1984: 2nd Place (National Runner-Up)
1984-1985: 3rd Place (Consolation Champion)
In 1984, Duluth was tantalizingly close to winning its first title. The Bulldogs defeated North Dakota 2-1 in overtime (behind a goal by Bill Watson) to advance to the championship game, where they would face Bowling Green in the longest NCAA final in Division I men’s hockey history. Gino Cavallini scored for the Falcons in the fourth overtime session, ending a game that took over 97 minutes of game action to complete.
And, perhaps, fittingly, UMD would find themselves locked in overtime contests in 1985 as well. The Bulldogs took RPI to three overtimes in the national semis before falling 6-5. Back in those days, there was still a third-place game, and so Duluth faced Boston College (which had also played three overtimes in its semifinal) for no reason at all. Of course, that game also went to overtime, with UMD defeating the Eagles 7-6.
After that three-year splash on the national scene, Mike Sertich would manage just one more tournament appearance (1993) over the final fifteen years of his head coaching career before giving way to Scott Sandelin, who has guided the Bulldogs to the NCAAs eleven times in his 24 completed seasons behind the Bulldog bench. It is worth noting, however, that Duluth has had two consecutive losing seasons (28-40-6) overall and has missed the last two NCAA tourneys.
Even though UMD has been a more frequent participant over the past two decades than at any other point in team history, Duluth and North Dakota have only met twice in the national tournament (1984 and 2021). UND had a chance to meet the Bulldogs in the 2011 title game but fell to the Wolverines in the semifinals 2-0 (with an empty-net goal) despite outshooting Michigan 40-20.
Before the Wolverines were forced to withdraw from the 2021 tournament, UMD and Michigan were set to square off in the national tournament for the first time since that overtime thriller in St. Paul.
With three national titles in a nine-year stretch, the Bulldogs could certainly be considered the best team of the 2010s; North Dakota’s eight national titles have been spread out across the decades: 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000, and 2016.
The Wolverines have won nine NCAA titles but only two since 1964, those coming in 1996 and 1998. For that reason, I consider North Dakota (eight titles) and Denver (ten titles) the two best programs in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey history.
And turning our attention to this season…
North Dakota bench boss Brad Berry will be without five players in this important NCHC series:
Junior goaltender Kaleb Johnson looks to be sidelined for an extended period of time; the team brought in Aleksi Huson to be the third goaltender on the roster. Huson backstopped Shakopee High School last season, serving as team captain while posting a record of 20-5-1 with a goals-against average of 2.13 and a save percentage of .934.
Junior defenseman Bennett Zmolek remains out of the lineup; Zmolek has missed the last six games.
Fellow blueliner Tanner Komzak, a sophomore, was injured in practice a week ago and did not travel to Cornell last weekend.
Two other players – freshman forward Cody Croal and freshman defenseman Andrew Strathmann – were injured during last Friday’s game at Cornell.
Without Zmolek, Komzak, and Strathmann, North Dakota’s defensive corps consists of two freshmen and three sophomores plus junior Dane Montgomery, whose position was changed from forward to defenseman on the team’s official roster this week.
In the good news department, forward Cameron Berg returns to the lineup this weekend after missing both games a week ago. Berg, who has scored three goals and added three assists in five games this season, was injured late in Saturday’s home loss to Boston University on October 26th when he got tangled up with two other players in his own end. Berg was on the ice for the final fourteen seconds of the game and participated in portions of practice last week but was not cleared to play against Cornell a week ago.
Minnesota Duluth brought in eleven freshmen this season, including two defensemen and two goaltenders. Head coach Scott Sandelin is hoping to turn things around after a dreadful 12-20-5 season (5-11-5-3 in the NCHC) a year ago.
Through seven games this season, only five Bulldogs have more than two points, including two freshmen – forwards Jayson Shaugabay (4-1-5) and Zam Plante (1-3-4). The other leading point-getters for UMD will be more familiar names: senior forward Dominic James (6-4-10), sophomore defenseman Aaron Pionk (0-8-8), and senior defenseman Owen Gallatin (1-5-6).
By comparison, TEN North Dakota players have collected more than two points through the team’s first seven contests.
The injury bug has also struck the Bulldogs, although to a lesser extent. Two UMD forwards – freshman Max Plante and junior Max Smith are not expected in the lineup this weekend.
One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks and Bulldogs are tied for 13th in the nation at 54.6%. Although the numbers are identical, North Dakota does appear to have an edge in the experience department.
For UND, senior Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 81 of 121 (66.9%). Graduate forward Louis Jamernik V has been stellar as well (31 of 54; 57.4%). Brad Berry will welcome senior Cameron Berg’s return to the dot; Berg has won 37 of 69 faceoffs to this point of the season (53.6%).
Duluth will counter with a combination of senior Dominic James (96 of 153, 62.7%), freshman Zam Plante (20 of 42, 69.0%), and freshman Callum Arnott (24 of 54, 44.4%). Plante has a unique style on faceoffs that must be seen to be appreciated. Scott Sandelin certainly misses the presence of Jack Smith in the lineup, the junior has gone 40 of 79 (50.6%) in this number games this season.
North Dakota has five drafted skaters among its eight first-year players, including a pair of highly-touted recruits:
Forward Sacha Boisvert: 2024 Round 1 #18 overall to the Chicago Blackhawks
Boisvert last played with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL).
Defenseman E.J. Emery: 2024 Round 1 #30 overall to the New York Rangers
Emery spent the last two seasons with the U.S. National Development Team in Ann Arbor.
Other North Dakota freshmen who were drafted by NHL teams over the past three years include:
Defenseman Andrew Strathmann: 2023 Round 4 #98 overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets
Forward Mac Swanson: 2024 Round 7 #207 to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Forward Cade Littler: 2022 Round 7 #219 overall to the Calgary Flames
The three freshman forwards listed above have combined for three goals and eight assists in nineteen games played this season, while Emery and Strathmann have each picked up an assist while playing heavy minutes for the Hawks (Emery 21:31, Strathmann 11:17). Strathmann was averaging nearly thirteen minutes a game before being injured early in last Friday’s game at Cornell.
Minnesota Duluth boasts five draft picks among its eleven-member freshman class:
Forward Max Plante: 2024 Round 2 #47 overall to the Detroit Red Wings
Plante spent the last two seasons as E.J. Emery’s teammate with the U.S. National Development Team in Ann Arbor.
Forward Jayson Shaugabay: 2023 Round 4 #115 overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning
Shaugabay, a Warroad native, won the 2023 Minnesota Mr. Hockey award.
Forward Zam Plante: 2022 Round 5 #150 overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Zam, who at twenty years of age is the older brother of Max, is finally healthy after dealing with a shoulder injury. Last season, he was a Fargo Force teammate of current UND freshman Mac Swanson.
Defenseman Adam Kleber: 2024 Round 2 #42 overall to the Buffalo Sabres
Kleber is listed at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds.
Goaltender Adam Gajan: 2023 Round 2 #35 overall to the Chicago Blackhawks
Gajan competed in the 2023 and 2024 World Junior U-20 Championships for his native Slovakia and has been the UMD goaltender of record for all but one game this season (3-3-0, 3.19 GAA, .899 SV%).
Overall, Minnesota-Duluth’s recruiting class was ranked first in the nation by College Hockey News, while North Dakota’s crop of freshmen came in fourth. The two classes sandwiched in between belong to Boston College and Boston University. Incidentally, Western Michigan came in fifth, Denver was slotted in tenth, and Colorado College was picked eleventh.
It remains to be seen which North Dakota netminder gets the nod tonight. Graduate transfer T.J. Semptimphelter had earned the majority of the starts over the first few weekends of play, but he allowed three goals on four shots over the first thirteen minutes of Friday’s opener at Cornell and was pulled in favor of Hobie Hedquist. The sophomore shut the door the rest of the way, stopping all sixteen shots he faced. It was a different story in Saturday’s rematch, however, as Hedquist allowed four goals on 27 shots.
Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs
Head Coach: Scott Sandelin (25th season at UMD, 459-392-100, .535)
National Ranking: NR/NR
This Season: 3-4-0 overall, 0-0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 12-20-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 5-11-5-3 NCHC (7th of 8 teams)
2024-2025 Season Statistics:
Team Offense: 3.00 goals scored/game – 24th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.43 goals allowed/game – 46th of 62 teams
Power Play: 20.7% (6 of 29) – 23rd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 78.9% (15 of 19) – 41st of 62 teams
Key players: Senior F Dominic James (6-4-10), Freshman F Jayson Shaugabay (4-1-5), Freshman F Zam Plante (1-3-4), Sophomore D Aaron Pionk (0-8-8), Senior D Owen Gallatin (1-5-6), Freshman G Adam Gajan (3-3-0, 3.19 GAA, .899 SV%)
North Dakota Team Profile
Head Coach: Brad Berry (10th season at UND, 209-108-33, .644)
National Rankings: #10/#10
This Season: 3-4-0 overall, 0-0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 26-12-2 (NCAA tournament appearance), 14-4-1-5 NCHC (1st)
Team Offense: 3.14 goals scored/game – 22nd of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.14 goals allowed/game – 40th of 62 teams
Power Play: 30.0% (6 of 20) – 5th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 82.6% (19 of 23) – 32nd of 62 teams
Key Players: Senior F Cameron Berg (3-3-6 in five games), Freshman F Sacha Boisvert (2-5-7), Junior F Owen McLaughlin (0-5-5), Junior F Dylan James (4-0-4), Sophomore F Jayden Perron (1-3-4), Graduate F Louis Jamernik V (3-3-6), Freshman F Mac Swanson (1-2-3), Sophomore D Jake Livanavage (1-2-3), Sophomore D Abram Wiebe (1-5-6), Freshman D E.J. Emery (0-1-1), Junior G Hobie Hedquist (0-2-0, 2.25 GAA, .913 SV%)
By The Numbers
Last Meeting: February 24, 2024 (Grand Forks, ND). UND gave our daughter Ashley a terrific birthday present, completing the weekend sweep with a 4-2 victory. Sophomore forward Dylan James broke a 2-2 third-period tie with a pair of goals. In Friday’s opener, North Dakota crushed UMD 6-0 behind a goal and four assists from sophomore forward Jackson Blake.
Last Meeting in Duluth: November 11, 2023. North Dakota weathered an early first-period storm and went to the locker room leading 1-0 on Louis Jamernik V’s power play goal. A dominant middle frame saw UND outshoot the Bulldogs 18-5 and extend the lead to 2-0. That would be more than enough, as Ludvig Persson stopped all 30 shots he faced. One night earlier, the Fighting Hawks built a 3-0 lead in the opening twenty minutes but saw a UMD comeback bring the home team within one. North Dakota’s Cameron Berg iced the game with a power play tally with under forty seconds remaining. During the series, UND wore helmet stickers honoring former Duluth forward Adam Johnson, who died on October 28, 2023 when a skate blade cut his neck during a pro hockey game. The stickers featured the initials ‘AJ’ along with the number 47, which he was wearing for the Nottingham Panthers. Former UND forward Westin Michaud was Johnson’s teammate with the Panthers.
Most Important Meeting: March 27, 2021 (Fargo, ND). North Dakota was down 2-0 to Minnesota Duluth with just 101 seconds remaining in the third period of the 2021 NCAA Midwest Regional final at Scheels Arena in Fargo, North Dakota. The Bulldogs had built their lead with two goals just 80 seconds apart early in the final frame on a pair of fluky plays. A partially blocked shot off the stick of Jackson Cates fluttered past Fighting Hawks’ netminder Adam Scheel, and a broken stick at the blue line sent Cole Koepke in alone on a breakaway. UND scored two extra-attacker goals in the final two minutes of regulation to send the game long into the night. Minnesota Duluth outlasted North Dakota 3-2 in five overtimes to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. The three goaltenders involved in the contest combined to make 114 saves.
The Meeting That Never Was: Both teams advanced to the 2011 NCAA Frozen Four at Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, Minnesota). UND could not get past Michigan, falling 2-0 despite outshooting the Wolverines 40-20. In the other national semifinal, Minnesota-Duluth defeated Notre Dame 4-3 and rode that momentum to the title game. The Bulldogs took the Wolverines to overtime before senior forward Kyle Schmidt scored the game winner and earned UMD their first national championship. North Dakota won two of the three games against Duluth that season, outscoring Scott Sandelin’s team 11-5.
All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 157-89-11 (.632), including a 67-46-6 (.588) advantage in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first met in 1954, with North Dakota winning the first ten games between the schools by a combined score of 72-16. UMD’s first win over the Fighting Sioux (a 3-2 road victory on December 18th, 1959) did not sit well with the defending national champions. UND defeated Duluth 13-2 the following night.
Last Ten: North Dakota is 8-2-0 (.800) in the last ten games between the teams, outscoring the Bulldogs 31-18 over that stretch. Only four of the past ten UND-UMD games were played in Duluth (all victories for the Fighting Hawks).
Game News and Notes
North Dakota has struggled with slow starts over the past two games, giving up early leads to Boston University (1-0) and Cornell (3-1 and 2-0). Duluth has been outshot and outscored in first periods and second periods this season. With Cameron Berg out of the lineup last weekend, UND went 0-for-7 on the power play against Cornell. Both head coaches this weekend are alumni of the University of North Dakota; Brad Berry (1983-86) and Scott Sandelin (1982-86) both played for UND under John “Gino” Gasparini.
On A Personal Note
I have participated in Movember for the past twelve years and have proudly raised over $30,000 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
I expect a fast, physical weekend of hockey out of this matchup, with plenty of talent on display. An early lead would be beneficial for UND, as they seem to play with much more purpose and poise when they aren’t chasing the game. Of course, goaltending is always a big factor, but even more so in this one, with a freshman netminder on one end and some uncertainty on the other. North Dakota’s grueling non-conference schedule will prove to be a benefit in this series, and I’ve got them finding a way to get two wins. UND 5-3, 4-2.
Broadcast Information
Both games this weekend will be available online at NCHC.tv, with Saturday’s contest also broadcast on Midco Sports Two. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. Central Time on Friday and 6:07 p.m. Central on Saturday.
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 thoughts, comments, and suggestions.